German troop strength hits 13-year high as rearmament gathers pace

The number of soldiers in the German military has hit a 13-year high, the defence ministry said Monday, as a drive to overhaul the country's armed forces gradually picks up speed.

Germany has been seeking to revamp its military due to an increasingly hostile Russia and fraying ties with the United States since the return of President Donald Trump.

It has committed to boosting its troop strength to at least 260,000 soldiers by 2035, and last year introduced a new voluntary service model.

The number of servicemen and servicewomen reached 186,700 at the end of July, around two percent higher than a year ago, the ministry said.

"This marks a new high over roughly the past 13 years," it said in a statement, adding the figure was within the military's target range of 186,000 to 190,000.

"The Bundeswehr (armed forces) is also recording new highs in applications and new hires, with double-digit growth rates compared to the same month of the previous year."

The voluntary service model introduced mandatory screening of all 18-year-old men, although stopped short of reintroducing conscription.

Around 12,100 voluntary military service members and short-term regular soldiers are serving in the military under the model. That is around six percent more than in the previous year.

But some have voiced worries that recruitment is still moving too slowly to achieve Chancellor Friedrich Merz's ambition of creating Europe's strongest conventional army.

Thomas Roewekamp, an MP from Merz's conservative party and chairman of parliament's defence committee, told AFP in a recent interview that Germany may still have to consider reviving compulsory military service.

A decision will need to be taken by July 2027 at the latest, he said.