Germany news: Rise in young people refusing military service

https://p.dw.com/p/5CrkB

AdvertisementSkip next section What you need to know

What you need to know

• Germany ranked fourth globally behind the United States, China and Russia
• Military spending by Berlin has risen 24%
• There were 3,867 applications for conscientious objector status in 2025
• A new law on military service is thought to have driven the significant increase

Here are the latest headlines from and about Germany on Monday, April, 27, 2026:

Skip next section Russia summons German ambassador over terror allegations04/27/2026April 27, 2026

Russia summons German ambassador over terror allegations

Russia has summoned Germany's ambassador over alleged contacts between German politicians and terrorist groups.

Ambassador Alexander Graf Lambsdorff was called to the Foreign Ministry in Moscow for a meeting at 11 a.m. local time, his office said. No details about the accusations were provided. Lambsdorff said he would attend.

"I will, of course, comply with the summons. I consider it unlikely that the Russian side will be able to substantiate its allegations," Lambsdorff said in advance, according to a spokesperson.

Further information was expected after the meeting. Relations between Germany and Russia have been strained for years.

https://p.dw.com/p/5Cs1aSkip next section Conscientious objection requests rise in Germany04/27/2026April 27, 2026

Conscientious objection requests rise in Germany

Applications for conscientious objection have continued to rise in Germany, according to a report, amid a tense security environment and the introduction of a new military service law.

The reform, which took effect in January, introduces mandatory screening for young men born in 2008 or later, aimed at boosting voluntary military recruitment. Parliament would be able to activate compulsory service if recruitment targets are missed.

The news comes a day after Bavarian state premier Markus Söder called for the reintroduction of compulsory military conscription.

The newspaper Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung reported that 2,656 people applied in the first quarter of the year, citing data from the Federal Office for Family Affairs and Civil Society Functions.

By comparison, there were 2,998 applications in all of 2024 and 3,867 in 2025, according to government data. If the trend continues, 2026 could see the highest level since conscription was suspended in 2011.

At the same time, some applicants have reversed earlier decisions. There were 781 such cases last year and 233 in the first quarter of this year.

Germany seeks to recruit 80,000 more active soldiers

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https://p.dw.com/p/5CrmISkip next section German defense spending jumps 24% in 202504/27/2026April 27, 2026

German defense spending jumps 24% in 2025

Germany’s military spending has surged by more than a fifth, reaching €97 billion (about $114 billion) in 2025.

A report by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) says the 24% increase made Germany the world's fourth-largest defense spender. Global military spending hit a record high in 2025.

Only China, Russia and the United States are spending more. Globally, military expenditure rose 2.9% to about $2.89 trillion. SIPRI said the main driver was a 14% increase in Europe, marking the fastest annual growth in Central and Western Europe since the end of the Cold War.

Germany has now recorded three straight years of double-digit growth, spending 2.3% of GDP on defense — exceeding NATO's 2% benchmark for the first time since 1990. Berlin aims to raise that to 3.5% by 2029. European NATO members together spent $559 billion in 2025.

German Defense Minister Pistorius on new military spending

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https://p.dw.com/p/5CrllSkip next section Welcome to our coverage04/27/2026April 27, 2026

Welcome to our coverage

Richard Connor | Louis Oelofse Editor

Guten Tag from the DW newsroom in Bonn.

You join us amid news that Germany was fourth in the world in terms of military spending last year, according to the research institute SIPRI.

At the same time, amid talk of possible military conscription, there was an uptick in the number of young Germans listing themselves as conscientious objectors.

For these and more of the latest stories out of Germany, stick with us right here.

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