German lawmakers on Dec. 5 backed the government’s plans to create a legal framework for a “new, attractive military service,” aimed at boosting the number of people in the Bundeswehr, the German armed forces.
The law was passed in Germany’s parliament, the Bundestag—323 in favor to 272 against, with one abstention. It stops short of conscription but leaves the option open in the event that a voluntary drive fails to produce the required numbers of military personnel.
