The number of German army military personnel has dropped to 181,500, in spite of major efforts by the government to increase the ranks, the Defence Ministry said on Friday.

This means that as at the end of last year, there were around 1,500 fewer temporary and career Bundeswehr soldiers as well as volunteers doing military service than a year earlier.

At the end of 2022, the Bundeswehr still had 183,050 soldiers.

The Bundeswehr’s primary goal is and remains to sustainably strengthen its personnel readiness, a spokeswoman said.

“We need qualified and operationally ready men and women who are available in sufficient numbers for the tasks and missions ahead,” she said.

The increasingly noticeable effects of demographic and social change were becoming apparent in practically all professions and fields of work, she added.

She said the Bundeswehr has to compete with the private sector for job candidates as employers’ battle for an insufficient pool of skilled labour in Germany.

A “bundle of measures and initiatives” had been introduced in order to increase attractiveness, act more flexibly and react more quickly, she remarked.

The number of professional soldiers and those doing voluntary military service had increased slightly while there has been a marked decrease in the number of regular soldiers.

Germany’s declared goal is for the Bundeswehr to grow to 203,000 soldiers by 2031.

However, amid the fall in numbers, there has also been recent debate about reintroducing mandatory conscription, or the recruitment of soldiers who are not German citizens.

In Germany, conscription was suspended, but not abolished, in 2011 after being in force for 55 years.

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 shook up the German defence establishment, leading to a ripple of changes including a funding boost for the Bundeswehr and concerns about its overall military readiness.

Follow Our WhatsApp Channel ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

[A MUST HAVE] Evidence Act Demystified With Recent And Contemporary Cases And Materials

“Evidence Act: Complete Annotation” by renowned legal experts Sanni & Etti.

Available now for NGN 40,000 at ASC Publications, 10, Boyle Street, Onikan, Lagos. Beside High Court, TBS. Email publications@ayindesanni.com or WhatsApp +2347056667384. Purchase Link: https://paystack.com/buy/evidence-act-complete-annotation

______________________________________________________________________ “Enhance Legal Practice With Authoritative Reports” — Alexander Payne Offers Comprehensive Law Reports, Spanning Over A Century Of Nigerian Jurisprudence

Interested buyers are encouraged to place their orders and enquiries via: 0704 444 4777, 0704 444 4999, 0818 199 9888 Website: www.alexandernigeria.com

______________________________________________________________________ Groundbreaking Guide For Lawyers: Adigwe Publishes ‘Artificial Intelligence For Lawyers’ With Free Research eBook The book also examines Nigeria's legal ecosystem, focusing on the LPELR and NBA AI Guidelines. As a bonus, every purchase comes with a FREE eBook titled: How to Use the AI Features in LegalPedia and LawPavilion. Ohio Books Ltd praises the publication, stating: "....this is the only Nigerian book I know of on the topic." How to Order: 📞 Call, Text, or WhatsApp: 08034917063 | 07055285878 📧 Email: benadigwe1@gmail.com 🌎 Website: www.benadigwe.com Ebook Version: Access it directly online at https://selar.com/prv626 Authored by Ben Ijeoma Adigwe Esq., ACIarb (UK), LL.M, Dip. in Artificial Intelligence, Director at the Delta State Ministry of Justice, Asaba, Nigeria. ______________________________________________________________________