German teenagers will be asked about their readiness for war when they turn 18 in a new mandatory survey being rolled out by the country's armed forces.
From today, all males in Germany must complete a questionnaire sent out by the Bundeswehr about their fitness and interest in joining the military following their 18th birthday.
Those who fail to fill out the survey or give false information could face a fine.
The questionnaire, called a "declaration of readiness", sees teens quizzed on their educational qualifications, skills and physical performance ability.
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They are also asked for personal information including their martial status, height, weight and other nationalities.
The survey further questions teenagers if they have served in foreign armed forces and to declare their willingness to join the German military.
Both men and women will receive a letter after turning 18 containing a QR code linking to the online questionnaire though participation for women is mandatory.
Those recruited into the armed forces will receive a monthly pay of €2,600 (£2,293).
The questionnaire will be mandatory for males after turning 18
|INA FASSBENDER/GETTY
In the face of perceived threats from Russia and heavy pressure from the US, Chancellor Merz has pledged to rebuild the Bundeswehr into Europe's strongest conventional army.
Germany's government agreed in November on a new military service scheme with higher pay and better incentives.
Military service will remain voluntary but with the option of a mandatory call-up if the scheme fails to attract enough new recruits.
The country wants to increase the number of soldiers to 260,000 from some 180,000 currently and to double the number of reservists to 200,000.
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Chancellor Merz has pledged to rebuild the Bundeswehr into Europe's strongest conventional army.
|REUTERS
The German government has also agreed to call up all 18-year-old men for military medical examinations.
The war in Ukraine and a stark warning from the administration of US President Donald Trump that Europe must take responsibility for its own defence has set off a scramble to rebuild and re-equip armed forces after years of neglect.
Defence Minister Boris Pistorius warned in 2024 that Germany must be ready for war by 2029 and even before Chancellor Merz took office in May, parliament agreed an unprecedented overhaul of rules to raise billions of euros for defence spending.
In France meanwhile, President Emmanuel Macron announced in November the country will create a new voluntary youth military service that should begin by mid-2026.
The scheme would last 10 months and be open to 18 and 19-year-olds and they would be paid.
It aims to engage 3,000 people in 2026, rising to 10,000 by 2030.
French leader President Macron said his ambition was for the scheme to recruit 50,000 young people by 2035.
More broadly France intends to secure 100,000 reservists by 2030, according to President Macron's aides, up from around 47,000 now.
Its armed forces would then total around 210,000 by 2030.
Poland, which is one of Nato's largest militaries, will roll out a military training programme as part of a broader plan to train around 400,000 people in 2026, the country's defence ministry said in November.
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