Coalition Dispute: Union Insists โคon Lottery System for Potential Military โขService
BERLIN-A proposed compromise on Germany’s future โmilitary service model โisโฃ faltering as the Union bloc maintains its โคsupport for a lottery system to determine conscription, drawing โคcriticism from coalition โฃpartner the Green Party. The dispute centers on how to equitably select individuals for โคmandatory service shoudl it be reintroduced in 2025.
The disagreement highlightsโค deep divisionsโข within the governing coalition regarding the implementation โof a โฃpotential new military service model.โ The โฃdebate impacts young Germans, the Bundeswehr‘s future staffing, andโข the broader national security landscape. โคFailure toโฃ reach โan agreementโข could jeopardize the entire โคinitiative, leaving Germany without a clear planโค to โคaddress projected personnelโข shortages in the armed forces.
Green politician Anton Hofreiter sharply criticized the โlottery proposal, stating, “The Bundeswehr is not aโฃ lottery booth, military service โis not a lottery.” โHofreiter arguedโ the concept fails to โacknowledge the gravity of the situation and the โpotentialโค impact on young people.
According to reporting by Zeit Online on October 22, 2025, the initial compromise-which involved determining service obligations via a lottery-failed to gain traction.โ The Union’s continued โฃinsistence on this method underscores a fundamental disagreement over the principles guiding potential โconscription. A separate Zeitโ Online articleโฃ from October 22, 2025, detailsโ concerns that a compulsory system itself may not resolve underlying โฃissues within theโ military.