Army Draft Evasion: Rising Number of Conscientious Service Refusal Requests in Germany

Consultation centers on refusal of service in Germany have recorded a significant increase in inquiries from parents seeking ways to refuse military service for their children.

Der Spiegel reported on this.

Parents are looking for information about the rights and duties of conscripts, the possibility of alternative service, and the impact of service on the future careers of young people. Experts believe that this growing interest is related to discussions about the possible reinstatement of mandatory service and increased attention to national security issues.

Consultation centers plan to expand their activities by organizing additional information sessions and providing more online materials to ensure access to necessary information for a larger number of parents and young people. Additionally, website visits increased to over 125,000 in September compared to 55,000 in August.

“This year, there has been a noticeable and significant increase in the number of inquiries from parents concerned about the possible reinstatement of military conscription or new military service for their underage sons and daughters,” Dieter Junker, spokesperson for the Evangelical Working Group on Conscientious Objection and Peace, shared.

Experts note that the increased activity of parents indicates their interest in making informed decisions about their children’s future and may influence political decisions regarding military service in Germany.

Germany recently planned to use a lottery system for selecting recruits as part of a reformed military service system.

According to the agreement, all young men must complete a mandatory questionnaire. After that, a certain number of individuals will be selected by lottery to be called for a medical examination and an interview.

If there are not enough volunteers, the young men chosen by lottery may be required to serve for at least six months.