Germany’s governing parties have reportedly reached a political compromise on how to reintroduce compulsory military service — and they are taking inspiration from Denmark’s selective conscription system.
According to a report by the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND), the SPD and CDU/CSU parliamentary groups agreed on the basic framework of a new national service model that combines voluntary enlistment with a partial lottery system.
How the lottery would work
Under the draft concept, all young men will be asked to complete a mandatory questionnaire indicating their personal information and willingness to serve. From this group, a smaller portion will then be randomly selected to undergo medical examination and attend an interview.
If the number of volunteers proves insufficient to meet defense needs, those drawn in the lottery could be legally required to complete at least six months of military service, the RND report stated.
Pistorius expected to present key figures soon
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) must still determine how many recruits the armed forces will require and from what date the system could take effect. These figures are expected to shape the scale and implementation timeline of the new model.
The coalition sees the lottery-based selection as a practical way to reduce administrative burden while maintaining an element of fairness in conscription. By limiting the number of people called for examination, the process would remain manageable and transparent.
Inspired by Denmark’s approach
The compromise reportedly draws direct inspiration from Denmark, where conscription formally applies to all citizens but, in practice, only about one-fifth of eligible men are actually drafted each year.
German lawmakers consider the Danish system a balanced model that combines civic obligation with modern flexibility — avoiding the heavy bureaucracy of universal conscription while still strengthening national defense.
Next steps in parliament
Both coalition parties are expected to discuss the proposal in detail on Tuesday, with a public announcement planned for Wednesday.
If the timeline holds, the first reading in the Bundestag could take place as early as Thursday.
The compromise marks a major milestone in Germany’s ongoing debate about how to adapt military readiness to today’s geopolitical challenges — and how to make national service more equitable and sustainable in the 21st century.
