Germany’s coalition government has agreed a new voluntary military service model, politicians said Thursday, after weeks of wrangling over whether there should be a compulsory element.

Under the plan, all 18-year-old men will from next year have to fill in a questionnaire on whether they would want to serve and undergo an armed forces physical test.

No one will be compelled to join the Bundeswehr, however, said Defence Minister Boris Pistorius. He has advocated instead a campaign to make military service more attractive to draw more male and female recruits.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz has made bolstering Germany’s ill-equipped military a major priority, citing a hostile Russia and doubts about future US security commitment to Europe.

He has moved to sharply increase spending on the mili

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