Western countries such as France and Germany have started to focus on retaining current soldiers rather than recruiting new ones. French Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced a talent retention plan on Monday, the 18th of March, with Germany reporting that 1 537 soldiers have left the Bundeswehr in 2023, bringing it down to 181 514 soldiers, reports Politico.
“These conversations are now taking place in all capitals, in all democracies that do not have conscription,” Lecornu said on Monday, mentioning the United Kingdom and the US, noting that conversations on retention now take place at NATO meetings alongside those on equipment.
As Europe responds to the conflict in Ukraine, countries such as Croatia are discussing conscription again, while Denmark is considering drafting women. Germany, which stopped conscription in 2011, is also discussing its renewal in the face of an ageing army.
Countries with professional armies have difficulties making the armed forces attractive
due to low unemployment and competition from the private sector, exacerbated by widespread remote work.
In France and the United Kingdom, retention is a problem despite financial incentives. In the UK, there is a shortage of 1 100 soldiers each year, i.e. two infantry battalions, although the government has contracted a private company to recruit.
French measures aim to improve pensions and salaries, but conditions of service remain unattractive due to overtime, long absences and insufficient rest, but help will be offered with housing, health and childcare. In addition, couples working for the armed forces ministry will be allowed to move to their new place of work together.
In order to retain soldiers, Poland’s new government announced earlier this year a 20% increase in soldiers’ salaries, raising the minimum monthly salary from 4 960 zlotys ( 1 150 euro) to 6 000 zlotys. In response to the growing threat from Russia, the size of the Polish armed forces has increased from 95 000 in 2015 to 215 000 this year.
Germany aims to increase its armed forces to 203 000 by early 2030.
In the annual report, the Bundestag’s Special Commissioner for the Armed Forces, Eva Högl, pointed to the reintroduction of conscription as one way to change the situation, but stressed that the focus should be on female recruitment, noting that there is untapped potential among female candidates.
While legislation passed last year has sought to make working conditions more attractive, including more support for childcare and better pensions, Högl in the annual report highlighted problems with military infrastructure, noting that barracks lack basic amenities such as lockers. Addressing these problems will require around 50 billion euros, half of the total funding allocated to military upgrading after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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