German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has called for a national debate on reinstating universal military conscription to address growing security threats in Europe. The president argues that the current volunteer enlistment system may not be sufficient to meet Germany’s military needs, especially in light of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the evolving security landscape. The suspension of conscription in 2011 left a legal framework in place, which can be reactivated with a parliamentary majority. However, a full-scale return would require constitutional changes. Steinmeier supports Defense Minister Boris Pistorius’ proposal to expand troop numbers and create a backup draft system, with the goal of increasing annual volunteer recruits to 30,000 by 2029. The plan also includes provisions to automatically reintroduce conscription if volunteer numbers fall short.