Conscription Reloaded? The Debate About Compulsory Service in Germany in 2022 and the Peoples’ Attitudes Towards It
Journal: Statistics Politics and Policy
Year: 2023

Abstract In mid-2022, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier spoke out in favour of introducing compulsory service in Germany. Against the backdrop of the Bundeswehr restructuring, necessitated by the war in Ukraine, and the worsening personnel shortage in the social sector and in nursing care, he revived a debate that had been recurring in Germany for decades. Based on an online survey of more than 7,300 people, this article examines how Germans feel about compulsory service and what factors