• Nearly 5,900 applications for conscientious objection to military service were submitted in Germany in the first half of this year, a significant increase from previous years.
• The rise in applications is likely linked to heightened security concerns and a new military service law that introduces mandatory medical assessments for young men born in or after 2008.
• While compulsory military service has been suspended in Germany, the right to refuse armed military service on grounds of conscience remains protected under Article 4 of the Basic Law.

The number of applications for conscientious objection to military service in Germany has risen sharply, with nearly 5,900 requests submitted in the first half of this year, data from the Federal Office for Family Affairs and Civil Society Functions (BAFzA) showed.

A BAFzA spokeswoman told the RND media group that 5,862 applications had been received so far this year.

That compares with 3,867 applications in all of 2025 and 2,998 in 2024. In 2011, when Germany suspended mandatory military service, 4,348 people applied for conscientious objection, according to RND.

The increase is likely linked to heightened security concerns and a new military service law that came into force on January 1. The legislation introduces mandatory medical assessments for young men born in or after 2008 and aims to recruit more volunteers to expand the armed forces.

If recruitment targets are not met, parliament could decide on a needs-based mandatory conscription, under which a set number of citizens would be drafted to fill specific military shortages.

While compulsory military service has been suspended, it remains enshrined in Germany's constitution. The BAFzA said the right to refuse armed military service on grounds of conscience remains protected under Article 4 of the Basic Law.

At the same time, some people have withdrawn previous applications for conscientious objection. The Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung newspaper reported in April that 781 people did so last year, while another 233 withdrawals were recorded in the first quarter of this year.