Conscription, Direction, Transformation

German political parties regularly vie for the coveted designation of being seen as the “voice of the youth”

Following the 2021 election, that was unequivocally the province of the Greens. In 2025, young people flocked to both ends of the political spectrum, with women ages 18 to 24 voting disproportionally for the Left Party, while their male counterparts cast ballots in large numbers for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) won just 13% of the youth vote in the 2025 election, compared to 25% who voted for the Left and 21% for AfD. Merz’s governing partner, the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), netted in that same race just 12% of Germans ages 18 to 24.

Despite having the endorsement of only a quarter of Germany’s youth, the Merz government is debating a panoply of issues that will have a direct impact on their future, particularly in the realm of foreign and security policy. A new study by the Liz Mohn Foundation* polled 800 Germans ages 12 to 18 to ascertain youth attitudes towards key questions, including the possible return of mandatory military service; Germany’s role on the world stage; and the need for fundamental changes in German society and beyond.

Germany’s leading role in European security and defense since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, a policy shift known as the Zeitenwende, has shown that despite political will and financial backing, Germany lacks the personnel to make good on many of its ambitious military commitments. This includes the goal of having 460,000 active-duty servicemembers in Germany’s armed forces, the Bundeswehr, by 2035. Currently, the ranks sit at just 182,000. This shortfall has prompted a debate about reviving conscription in Germany, which was suspended in 2011. Because mandatory national service (which includes, but is not limited to, military service) was merely suspended by a simple majority vote in the Bundestag, the legal basis for a draft remains enshrined in Germany’s Basic Law and can be reintroduced with backing from another simple majority. However, the issue has been contentious among politicians, with several camps emerging even within the governing coalition.

Conscription is also contentious among young people; the survey found just 30% of respondents were in favor of obligatory service in the Bundeswehr. This does not, however, translate to a lack of desire to serve their country; 53% of respondents believe in compulsory national duty of some sort, but with the ability to choose the sector of society to serve. When asked how long this service should last, a plurality of respondents opted for 10 to 12 months. Although the stipulation in the Basic Law only applies to men, 61% of respondents support mandatory military or civic contribution regardless of gender.

The debate to revive national service in light of war’s return to the European continent has also led to questions about Germany’s place in the post-WWII order. The survey found that 52% of young Germans view their country’s role in the world as either positive or very positive; this is outpaced only by the European Union, where 56% see the EU as a positive force. The United States, by contrast, was viewed as a positive world leader by just 26% of respondents, compared to China at 25% and Russia at 16%. Similarly, 52% of respondents want the EU to take on a greater leadership role in the world, and 47% believe Germany specifically should increase its global decision-making footprint. Compared to the 20% of respondents who want the U.S. to expand its role, and the 13% and 11% for China and Russia respectively, that is a clear signal that younger Germans believe the next generation belongs to Europe.

Despite strong conviction in the capabilities of Germany and Europe on the world stage, young people are still looking for major changes close to home. Nearly three-quarters of respondents believe Germany needs a “fundamental transformation” for a better future; 70% believe this fundamental change should extend to Europe; and 71% feel that disruptive evolution is needed around the globe. What such transformation would entail is not detailed in the survey, but it is clear that Germany’s youth are eager to see their country assume a greater role in the world and are willing to embrace the metamorphosis that will come with it.

*Disclaimer: Liz Mohn, Founder of the Liz Mohn Foundation, is also the President of the Board of Directors of the Bertelsmann Foundation North America.

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