Germany needs to focus on recruiting personnel for its defence forces, the parliamentary commissioner for the country’s armed forces has said.
Eva Högl told dpa the country needs about 20,000 more soldiers to meet the target size of 203,000.
She said many vacant positions remained unfilled, adding that operational readiness in numerous units was only around 50%.
“That is clearly not enough,” Högl said, especially in view of the tense security situation after Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“I consider personnel to be the most important issue for 2025.”
She also called for a new attempt to introduce a compulsory military service for young men and women.
“The personnel situation must be the highest priority for all those responsible for politics,” Högl added.
Earlier this year, Högl warned in her annual report that Germany’s military was ageing and shrinking.