According to internal statistics from Germany’s Ministry of Defence, more than 31% of those seeking to join the new military service were found unfit during medical examinations in the second quarter of 2026. Der Spiegel reported this citing the ministry’s data.
The figures were obtained by the Left Party parliamentary group through an inquiry to the Defence Ministry. Doctors examined 1,490 applicants: 1,131 were declared fit for Bundeswehr service, while 359 were rejected. In the first months of the programme, the share of those found unfit was lower — around 25%.
The new voluntary service model took effect at the beginning of 2026. Young men are required to complete a questionnaire about their interest in the armed forces and their health; for women this is voluntary. From April through the end of June, the Bundeswehr sent such questionnaires to 169,141 people. The number who actually reached the medical examination stage remained small.
The rise in the rejection rate at the medical board was a blow to the defence minister’s flagship project: it had been expected that mainly physically prepared candidates would apply. The data have intensified the debate over whether volunteers will be sufficient to increase the size of the Bundeswehr.
