The German government wants to oblige Bundeswehr reservists to participate in exercises again in the future to strengthen defense. The so-called Reserve Strengthening Act is intended to create the legal basis for a “reliable deployment of the reserve,” according to a draft law from the Defense Ministry obtained by Reuters. Previously, reservists could only be obligated to exercises outside a state of tension or defense, but not to other services.
The Bundeswehr is to grow from currently around 183,000 active soldiers and around 100,000 reservists to 260,000 active and 200,000 reservists by the mid-2030s. To increase acceptance of service, financial incentives are also planned. Employers, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, should receive subsidies for releasing their employees. In addition, reservists’ pay is to be improved, for example through a higher foreign service allowance. The additional expenditure for the years 2027 to 2029 is estimated at around 43 million euros per year.
The maximum duration of individual mandatory exercises will be set at up to twelve weeks per year, staggered according to previous service time. The corresponding regulations are to be bundled in a newly drafted Reservist Act, which consolidates and simplifies the provisions previously spread across several laws. The government plans to pass the bill in cabinet before the summer break.
Source: www.n-tv.de
