German applications for military service refusal rise

The number of applications for conscientious objection to military service in Germany has risen sharply.

With more than 12,000 submitted in the first eight months of this year, according to figures from the Federal Office for Family Affairs and Civil Society Functions (BAFzA).

A total of 12,102 applications were received between January and the end of August, the Funke media group and the RND media group reported, citing an agency spokeswoman. 

That is already more than three times the 3,879 applications filed throughout 2025. The number has also risen rapidly in recent months, more than doubling from 5,862 at the end of June.

The sharp increase comes amid heightened security concerns and Germany's new military service law, which took effect on January 1.

At its core is mandatory medical screening for young men born in 2008 or later, aimed at recruiting volunteers to expand the armed forces. If recruitment targets are missed, parliament can decide to introduce needs-based conscription.

Compulsory military service has been suspended since 2011 but remains enshrined in Germany's Basic Law. The right to refuse armed military service on grounds of conscience also remains in place.

The agency said it was seeing a high number of incorrectly submitted applications that could not be accepted and had to be returned without being processed.

It blamed recurring misinformation, including on social media, about how applications should be submitted and what they must contain.