Germany approves voluntary military service for 18-year-olds.

According to Russia Today, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stressed in a television interview: “If voluntary service is effective, I will be happy; otherwise we will have to reconsider the issue of compulsory military service.”

He added: “The German government is currently looking to recruit troops into the army through voluntary methods.”

The German Federal Parliament (Bundestag) last week passed a law to update military service in the country, which still emphasizes voluntary service but requires military registration for all 18-year-old boys through a mandatory medical examination.

The law on compulsory military service in Germany has been suspended since 2011, but will be reintroduced if there is a shortage of military personnel.

According to NATO’s vision, Germany must increase its army to 460,000. This is while the current number of active troops in the country is 189,000, and the number of reservists is 49,000.