On October 13, Germany’s government had to cancel at the last minute a press conference at which it planned to announce a new bill expanding military conscription. It was the result of disagreements between the two major parties in the governing coalition, the Social Democrats (SPD) and Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU).
The invasion of Ukraine in 2022 laid bare Europe’s strategic vulnerabilities and the continent’s continued dependence on the United States for its security.
the collapse of the conscription bill illustrates the shaky foundations of this about-face. Germany wants to increase its armed forces from 182,000 to 260,000, relying on volunteers but with compulsory registration and a lottery for all male 18-year-olds, should the number of recruits fall short. The bill faltered because the Social Democrats objected to the mandatory registration and lottery. Just 10 European countries [currently](https://www.strategie-plan.gouv.fr/en/publications/national-service-towards-new-french-and-european model#:~:text=Ten%20countries%20in%20the%20European%20Union%20currently,8%25%20of%20men%20and%20women%20in%20Sweden.) have mandatory military service, with the proportion of young men actually drafted ranges from 8% to 80% depending on the country. Germany itself ended mandatory military service in 2011.
Germany experienced two years of negative growth in 2023 and 2024, largely due to the escalating cost of energy in the wake of the Ukraine war.
Resistance to joint EU funding and weapons imports perpetuates the remarkable inefficiency of Germany’s defense industry. As a recent study by the Brussels think-tank Bruegel notes, fragmentation is the central problem in European weapons production, and Berlin is a major offender. European defense firms produce nine different types of jet fighters, four types of tanks, 16 frigates, and 17 models of armored personal carriers (APCs).
https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/germanys-aaa-rating-could-face-pressure-longer-run-without-growth-boost-fitch-2025-03-18/
Germany’s AAA rating could face pressure in longer run without growth boost, Fitch says