Germany has adopted a law for a voluntary military service, evaluating young people born since 2008 for recruitment.

The German Minister of Defense, Boris Pistorius, announced that the new voluntary military service, introduced through a law adopted by Chancellor Friedrich Merz's coalition, has begun to operate, with many questionnaires completed by young people. All young people born in 2008 or later will be evaluated to be registered in the army's records, receiving a questionnaire at 18 years old to assess their ability and motivation to serve. Although no definitive conclusions can be drawn, the minister estimates that the army will recruit approximately 20,000 new soldiers by the end of the year. Germany aims to reach 260,000 active soldiers in the Bundeswehr, up from 180,000, plus 200,000 reservists, in order to reverse the recruitment trends of recent years.