Angela Merkel’s center-right CDU party is considering proposals to make Germans and refugees living in the country carry out a year of military service or other work of benefit to society.
“My listening tour around the grass roots of the party showed that many CDU members mentioned reintroducing the draft or general compulsory service,” party secretary-general Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said in an interview with the Funke media group published Saturday.
“Many of the proposals that are now on the table start off with one year of service for men and women. They also assume that the service would not only apply to German citizens but also to refugees and asylum seekers of legal age who are living in Germany. I think this approach is worth considering,” Kramp-Karrenbauer said.
“If refugees complete such a year, which could be voluntary or mandatory, it would help to integrate them into the country and society. It would also increase the acceptance of refugees among the population.”
Kramp-Karrenbauer, who was picked for the secretary-general job by Merkel and is seen as the chancellor’s favored successor, said she wanted the party to decide on the proposals in the coming two years: “We should discuss different models. We will endorse one of them in the next election campaign.”
Kramp-Karrenbauer said she was still unsure whether the service year should be mandatory. “There is a lot of sympathy for a mandatory service in the CDU. I myself am not fully decided yet. My mother always talked about having to complete a mandatory year in the Nazi era. That’s also always in the back of my mind.”
Kramp-Karrenbauer first floated the idea of bringing back the draft earlier this month. Her proposal found favor among conservatives but was rejected by other politicians, citing practical and legal concerns. The secretary-general’s latest comments indicate she has not been deterred and will push for some form of national service to become party policy.