Germany: Ministry of Defense intends to increase the number of army personnel by 60,000
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced Thursday that his country intends to strengthen the federal army with between 50,000 and 60,000 additional soldiers over the coming years to meet NATO requirements in light of current security changes.
This came in statements made by the minister before the meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels, where he stressed that this assessment reflects the urgent need to raise the level of military readiness in accordance with the new standards set by NATO command.
“This is an estimated figure, but it’s necessary to achieve the defense structure that Germany is required to build,” Pistorius said, noting that this increase will focus on strengthening combat units and technical capabilities as part of the German military’s ongoing reorganization strategy.
The statement comes after NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called on member states to allocate 5% of their GDP to defense spending, including a minimum of 3.5% for direct military spending.
In this context, Pistorius explained that achieving the 3% of GDP spending target would require an additional budget effort estimated at approximately €125 billion annually, given that Germany is Europe’s largest economy.
The German Ministry of Defense faces significant challenges in expanding its forces, having not yet succeeded in reaching the target number of 203,000 soldiers by 2031, despite ongoing efforts to improve recruitment rates.
To address this reality, Pistorius is working on a reform proposal that would require a census of German youths once they turn 18 to identify potential candidates for military service.
Pistorius confirmed that the government currently prefers the option of “voluntary enlistment,” but didn’t rule out resorting to compulsory military service if volunteer campaigns fail to fill the human resource gap within the armed forces.
