Germany will reintroduce conscription if voluntary enlistment fails to meet military staffing goals, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said this week.

Berlin is eager to strengthen its military and plans to double its army reserves in response to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Pistorius said he wants the legislation on voluntary enlistment to include a fallback option, enabling Germany to introduce a draft “if the numbers are not sufficient,” he told German broadcaster ARD.

Pistorius said the fallback option would prevent the need for an entirely new law if voluntary enlistment numbers fall short. “We don’t have time for that,” he said. “If we have a mechanism that is already in place, then it won’t be a problem.”

According to a report presented to the parliament in March, Bundeswehr is facing personnel shortages despite increased defense spending.

The report states that although recruitment rose by 8%, with over 20,000 new recruits last year, more than a quarter left after their six-month probationary period. Additionally, nearly 20% of non-enlisted and 28% of enlisted positions remain vacant.

To address these challenges, Germany is looking at expanding the Bundeswehr from 183,000 to 260,000 personnel by 2035 and increasing its reserves from 60,000 to 200,000 by 2030. As a first step, 18-year-olds will be asked to complete a survey about their willingness to serve. The voluntary program aims to recruit 5,000 individuals annually.

Defense officials earlier warned that voluntary enlistment alone may not meet targets. “Voluntary measures are not enough,” said Reservists’ Association president Patrick Sensburg in an interview with RND. He also called for a referendum on conscripting women.

Conscription was introduced in 1956 and remains authorized under Article 12a of Germany’s Basic Law. It was suspended in 2011 as part of efforts to reduce the Bundeswehr’s size from about 255,000 to 185,000 soldiers.

This move was made as the likelihood of large-scale wars on German soil decreased following the Cold War, reducing the need for a large force.