Germany’s Bundeswehr has reached 186,700 personnel, its largest workforce in approximately 13 years. The force grew by 3,700 members over the past 12 months and has already reached the government’s 2026 personnel target of between 186,000 and 190,000.
The defense ministry expects the number to increase further before the end of the year.
The current strength includes 61,500 professional soldiers with permanent contracts and 113,000 personnel serving under longer-term contracts, Deutsche Welle reported. A further 12,100 personnel consist of voluntary service members and those serving under shorter contracts. This category recorded a 6 percent year-on-year increase.
Recruitment figures have also improved significantly. The Bundeswehr received 47,300 military career applications through the end of July, representing a 26 percent increase from the same period last year. New recruits increased by 12 percent to 15,400.
Berlin has set a much larger long-term objective. By the mid-2030s, Germany aims to have approximately 260,000 active-duty personnel and 200,000 reservists. Reaching that target would mean adding roughly 70,000 active-service members.
New Military Service System
Germany has also begun implementing a new system to identify potential military recruits. The defense ministry recently published the first results of questionnaires sent to young people to assess their interest and eligibility for military service.
The forms were distributed to 194,000 men and 184,000 people registered as women or another gender. Completion is mandatory for men but voluntary for the other groups. Around 96 percent of men responded, compared with only 4 percent of the second group.
The questionnaire itself does not require respondents to join the Bundeswehr.
Authorities conducted 2,630 assessments based on the responses, ultimately selecting 865 applicants to enter military service during 2026 or 2027.
The initiative follows Germany’s new military service law, which entered into force in January. The law prioritizes voluntary recruitment but creates a registration mechanism that could facilitate conscription should Germany decide to restore mandatory service.
The legislation has faced criticism and public opposition. A controversial provision initially appeared to require men between 17 and 45 to obtain Bundeswehr approval before staying abroad for more than three months. The defense ministry subsequently said the provision would not be applied while military service remains voluntary.
The new military service framework was also met with protests. Thousands of students demonstrated across Germany last year following parliamentary approval of the legislation. In addition, research by the German Centre for Integration and Migration Research found that just 30 percent of Germans aged 18 to 28 favored restoring compulsory military service.
