BERLIN, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Bundestag, Germany's lower house of parliament, on Friday passed a military service modernization act, aiming to reinforce its military, the Bundeswehr, by launching mandatory fitness assessments and questionnaires.
According to the new legislation, all 18-year-olds will receive a questionnaire to assess their motivation and suitability for service starting 2026. The questionnaires will be mandatory for men, while voluntary for women.
In addition, starting July 1, 2027, men born in or after 2008 will be subject to mandatory medical assessment.
Germany's military service will remain voluntary. But if voluntary recruitment fails to meet targets, or if the security situation deteriorates, the Bundestag can vote to enforce mandatory service.
In a statement, the German government said considering the security situation in Europe, the military is adjusting its strength to meet NATO capability goals.
Germany aims to increase the military force to 460,000 personnel by 2035, comprising 260,000 active soldiers and 200,000 reservists.
The Bundeswehr currently has around 184,000 active soldiers.
Germany suspended compulsory military service in 2011, and since then, the Bundeswehr has been transformed into a volunteer army.
The law now awaits approval from the Bundesrat, the upper house, and it is expected to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2026. ■