11.03.2025 22:51
German Bundestag's Federal Army Commissioner Eva Högl expressed concerns about the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as the stance taken by the allied United States. She warned that the German army is "shrinking and aging."
The Federal Army Commissioner of the German Parliament, Eva Högl, presented the 2024 report on the German army at a press conference held in the capital Berlin.
"HAVING AN ARMY IN A STATE OF READINESS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER" Expressing concerns about the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as the stance taken by allied the United States, Högl stated, "Therefore, having a German army in a state of readiness for credible deterrence and effective defense is more important than ever."
Federal Army Commissioner of the German Parliament, Eva Högl "THE GERMAN ARMY IS SHRINKING AND AGING" Högl conveyed that having a sufficient number of fully operational personnel is key to the German army's defense capability, yet noted that they are still far from the target of "203,000 soldiers by 2031." She reported that the German army has 181,174 soldiers as of the end of 2024, which is a decrease of 340 compared to 2023. Eva Högl also stated that the average age in the army is 34, saying, "The German army is shrinking and aging. This trend must be urgently stopped and reversed."
PROBLEMS IN THE ARMY Högl supported the plan introduced by Defense Minister Boris Pistorius in June 2024, which foresees an increase in the number of soldiers, and called for its rapid implementation. She emphasized that the mandatory military service, which was suspended in 2011, cannot be reinstated in the same form, citing a lack of sufficient training facilities and instructors.
"THERE IS STILL VERY LITTLE OF EVERYTHING IN THE GERMAN ARMY" Pointing out the infrastructure and equipment issues in the German army, Eva Högl stated, "There is still very little of everything in the German army, but progress is being made." She noted that barracks and other army facilities are still in inadequate condition and that there is a lack of operational equipment and spare parts, which is partly due to the support provided to Ukraine.
"A LOT OF MONEY IS NEEDED" "The German army needs a lot of money, and this issue is now being intensely discussed," said Högl, expressing her desire for this money to be invested in the army's future, technology, drones, satellites, air defense, digitalization, and artificial intelligence.