Germany fines young men €1,000 for ignoring military service questionnaire

Germany's SPD threatens young people with €1,000 fine for ignoring military questionnaire

Only 28% of young Germans have responded to the mandatory questionnaire on military service. The threat of a €1,000 fine has failed to mobilise the majority, and the debate over gender discrimination is intensifying.

Since January, the German government (SPD) has required all 18-year-olds to fill in a form about their willingness to serve in the armed forces. In theory, the measure is the gateway to a lottery to fill places, but critics point out that selection is discretionary and falls mostly on men. Data from the ministry itself show that only 17% of recruits are women, all volunteers, while the remaining 83% are men compelled to serve.

The equality paradox in conscription
The government wanted to reach 30% women by 2025, but seeing there were enough male volunteers, it backed down to avoid having to conscript women. The result is a formally neutral system that in practice remains a male-only obligation. The comparison with Sweden or Denmark, where service is compulsory for both sens, only underlines the asymmetry. Meanwhile, another controversial measure has already had to be reversed: the ban on men up to 45 leaving the country long-term without authorisation, which was withdrawn after protests.

Civil disobedience appears to be spreading: 28% of young people have not answered the questionnaire, and the responses, it is said, include sarcastic options. The Social Democratic minister threatens fines of €1,000, but the question hanging in the air is whether he can bend the will of a generation that sees the process as a farce or, worse, as institutionalised discrimination.

As the German government prepares the ground for a possible conflict, the gap between the official narrative and the reality of the data keeps widening. Is national defence a men's issue? Or does gender equality only apply when it suits?