Should We Bring Back the Draft How Germany Is Building Up Its Military-Industrial Complex

Lily Jacobs

Kappeler, Michael. "Friedrich Merz und die Atomkraft-Absage: Kann man nichts machen.” Deutsche Presse Agentur, 17 March 2026, https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/friedrich-merz-und-die-atomkraft-absage-kann-man-nichts-machen-kolumne-a-bff00b41-8d1c-46a0-bfe6-3195509df40a

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Europe has been in a frenzy to beef up its defense capabilities. Germany, the fourth largest economy in the world, has taken leadership in this newfound endeavor, with current chancellor Friedrich Merz and his party the Christian Democratic Union (CDU)—being at the forefront of these talks. This new development does not change the fact that many Germans, having grown up in Cold War pacifism, feel very ambivalent towards Germany even having an army.

The background behind this hesitancy is obvious, but the history of German militarism started during the Prussian era. The term is used to define the broad cultural and social phenomenon between 1815 and 1945, which marked the beginning of a German military. Independent jurisprudence, conscription, and the development of barracks led to this development being very strong in Germany, paving the way for Nazi-era politics. Reactionary and right-leaning tendencies were highly influential during this era, culminating into World War One, where the total war effort really took into effect. Romanticization of the conflict was highly encouraged, with some historians calling this phase the “Spirit of 1914.” 

German militarism then peaked in the Nazi era; There was a reintroduction of conscription, and society headed into a totalitarian and militaristic direction. The Nazis also changed society to the point where embracing war was an everyday facet of life. During the 50s and 60s, as Germans began to learn the truth about Nazi militarism, the country began to become less militaristic and more pacifist. Modern-day Germany is shaped by decades of post-World War II pacifism, making today’s quick shift a pill tough to swallow.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine in early 2022 shattered the reality many Europeans were living in. Soon after, then-chancellor Olaf Scholz announced a special fund that poured 100 billion euros into the Bundeswehr—the German military—along with a commitment for Germany to exceed NATO’s two-percent GDP military spending requirement, something the country has failed to do since 1991. This fund marked the most dramatic uptick in German military spending since World War Two.

Current Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced that Germany intends to build the Bundeswehr into the “strongest conventional army in Europe.” Merz’s promise marks a strong shift in German rhetoric regarding war and pushes the status quo of military investment in Germany, as it was once politically taboo. Among with listing a variety of defense capabilities Germany hopes to accomplish within the next five years, such as replacing weaponry and machinery, Merz and the CDU have passed laws in parliament that change the trajectory of post-World War Two pacifism.

The most consequential law involves Germany’s current troop levels. Merz has pushed to increase its levels from the current 182,000 active-duty soldiers to as many as 240,000 by 2031. The new military service law is intended to motivate more young people to volunteer, but many view this effort as a pathway that will lead to mandatory conscription. Beginning in early 2026, all 18-year-old men will receive a mandatory questionnaire; questions include their willingness to serve, their physical fitness, and their education. From mid-2027, the process will go one step further: all men born in 2008 or later will have to appear at an appointed time for a fitness test that will determine, in the event of conflict, who could be drafted. The conscription is therefore not truly “voluntary” but rather sets the stage for full conscription. It should not come as a surprise that this law is currently a polarizing fixture in German society.

Germany’s parliament also passed a historic defense spending package last May through amending the country’s constitutionally enshrined fiscal rules. Merz framed this as necessary to respond to a changing security landscape. Merz has also publicly considered sharing nuclear weapons with France and Britain instead of relying on the US because of the threat coming from Russia, as well as the US’ unpredictable nature with the former. These solutions are an attempt to bring Germany back into the front and participate in European security integration.

Despite current efforts, a coherent German security strategy still lacks. The country is struggling to navigate current geopolitical tensions with both Russia and the US, the latter being a key defense partner. The Bundeswehr is also undermanned, underequipped, and not respected by the public—and one of the most imperative issues, though understandably so, is conflict preparation. Only 11 percent of German adults under 50 would be willing to take up arms to defend their country; a 2024 Gallup worldwide ranking of nations’ willingness to go to war places Germany near the bottom of the list.

Merz is also facing unpopularity domestically; critics argue that he lacks a coherent plan for lessening Europe’s defense dependence on the US. Less than a quarter of Germans have a positive opinion on Merz. The word “Merzsplaining”, a spin-off of the word mansplaining, has garnered traction as a response to Merz’s contradictory-sounding statements on defense.

Former Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called the scramble for European security a zeitenwende, a watershed moment. With a fraying transatlantic relationship, Germany must present itself as a trusted partner in European security negotiations, all while easing fears at home. While threats abroad deem militarism to be a necessity, Germany must also be cautious of repeating the same mistakes it did during both the Prussian and Nazi eras. Its building militarism could alienate its neighbors if not protected properly.