In December of this year, the Bundestag plans to approve new conscription rules: starting in 2026, all 18-year-old citizens of Germany will be required to fill out a questionnaire and undergo a medical examination to determine their fitness for service. In case of a shortage of volunteers, the army may resort to a lottery, although a final decision on this matter has not yet been made.
Will young people with dual citizenship be able to serve in the army?
According to the publication, when filling out the questionnaire, it will be necessary to indicate the possession of other citizenships. The German Ministry of Defense, commenting on the draft law, assures that this is not a manifestation of distrust, but important information for the Bundeswehr, considering the obligations to Germany.In the context of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, young people with Russian citizenship may face questions of loyalty and access to classified information, notes Die Welt. A representative of the German Ministry of Defense stated that for all who decide to serve voluntarily, a constitutional compliance check will be conducted.
Lawyer Ferdinand Weber suggests that after the medical examination, young people with dual citizenship may not be allowed to serve due to potential risks. The German Foreign Office has long warned holders of dual citizenship from Germany and Russia about the risks of traveling to Russia, as they may be conscripted into the Russian army there.
Changes in conscription rules in Germany
The draft law "on the modernization of military service" was supported by the ruling coalition, consisting of the conservative CDU/CSU bloc and the Social Democrats, at the end of August. Currently, the discussion is not about restoring universal conscription, which was suspended in 2011, but about attracting volunteers to the army.
