Interest in the German army has significantly increased: according to the defence ministry’s statement on Thursday, 28 percent more people joined the Bundeswehr in 2025 than in the same period of the previous year.
From the beginning of the year until 21 July, 13,750 new recruits were accepted into the Bundeswehr – the ministry announced. The current strength of the Bundeswehr is 183,100 personnel, which is about two thousand more than a year earlier. The number of volunteers enlisting has risen by about 15 percent and reached 11,350.
The ministry attributes the strengthening of recruitment partly to targeted communication campaigns and partly to heightened social concern due to the international security situation. The government views the rising numbers as a positive development.
According to plans, the federal government will vote at the end of August on a draft law aimed at reforming the military service system. The new model could come into force at the beginning of 2026. The aim of the reform is to recruit up to 15,000 new enlisted soldiers per year on a voluntary basis with more attractive conditions – such as higher pay.
