German finance minister against reintroducing compulsory army service

Germany's Finance Minister Christian Lindner said he is against reintroducing compulsory military service to strengthen the nation's army, the Bundeswehr.

"The economic costs of compulsory military service would be very high in view of the labour shortage in an ageing society. I am also not convinced by drafting entire cohorts who are then not called up at all," Lindner told dpa.

He instead called for a stronger military reserve for the Bundeswehr.

Defence Minister Boris Pistorius is currently having models of compulsory military service examined and has taken a look at the practice in Scandinavian countries.

In Sweden, for example, entire cohorts are registered and contacted - then an initial selection is examined and tested for service, i.e. drafted. Only some of this group then serve in the military.

"The better alternative to compulsory military service, which is being discussed again, is a strengthened reserve. It should be possible for citizens to make a voluntary commitment to regularly serve in the Bundeswehr over a longer period of time alongside their civilian jobs," Lindner said.

This is also the way to involve otherwise difficult to recruit experts in areas such as cyber defence, he said.

"A strengthened reserve must be attractive enough through the acquisition of qualifications that employers also support a corresponding commitment," he said.

Compulsory military service was suspended in Germany in July 2011 after 55 years under the then Defence Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg.

However, it is still stipulated by law that compulsory military service for men will be revived in the event of civil unrest and national defence.