Only 10% have confidence in the Bundeswehr’s capabilities, a new survey shows.
A majority of Germans have little to no confidence in the military’s ability to defend the nation in case of attack, according to a new survey. Three-quarters of respondents say they don’t believe in the Bundeswehr’s capabilities, with only 10% expressing confidence in the armed forces.
Around 30% feel ‘no confidence at all’ that the military would be able to stand up to a potential adversary, the poll, which was conducted by Civey on behalf of Focus magazine, found. Another 45% have ‘low confidence’ in the military, with 15% undecided. Only 2% said their trust is ‘very high’, while 8% said it is ‘rather high’.
In terms of funding, a strong majority (69%) of Germans said the army needs more money, with 64% saying Berlin should spend more than 2% of its GDP on national defense.
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius argued last November that the Bundeswehr needs a thorough upgrade to become “war-capable.” According to the survey, around 73% of Germans agree with Pistorius, with 64% backing the re-introduction of compulsory military service, which was abolished in 2011.
Despite this, only half as many respondents (32%) said they are personally willing to take up arms and ‘actively participate in defensive combat operations’ if the nation comes under attack. Around 44% said they would never take up arms under any circumstances.
The parliamentary commissioner for the Bundeswehr, Eva Hoegl, recently presented an annual report on the state of the armed forces which indicated that the military is still suffering from thinning ranks and inadequate equipment.
“The Bundeswehr is aging and shrinking,” the commissioner stated last week, adding that the dropout rate in the military is “still very high,” while the number of new applications is even lower than last year.
The shortages in personnel and equipment have come into focus as Germany continues to actively provide military aid to Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. Berlin has emerged as the second biggest donor of military aid, spending around $19 billion on arms for Kiev, according to the Kiel Institute for World Economy.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz has vowed to double the military aid to Ukraine this year, sparking concerns among some MPs. In November 2023, MP Johann Wadephul warned that some “crucial” Bundeswehr units would last no longer than two days in battle.
The Focus survey was conducted from March 11 to 13, and involved 5,000 Germans aged 18 and older.
Nobody in Europe wants to join the army. You have to be a fool or desperate to get a job. Better be a street cleaner
A neigbour’s son when to Afghanistan. he is now locked up in a psychiatric ward.
Forget about that, they better get “The right colored roof” on their homes!
Here we go, a justification for more military spending and conscription to fight an enemy that didn’t exist until European politicians created one…..
Interesting too this didn’t ask another obvious question; “Do Germans want a big military and do they want conflict??” I think we know the answer….
No doubt, its the same answer here in NZ but it doesn’t stop the politicians from cozying up to the war mongers in Washington and Whitehall….wasting our money and resources on military rubbish we don’t need, all the while hospitals, education and more are in decline….
It is a huge scam going on. A tranfer of riches from the EU countries to the US.
Through covid ( pfizzer : billions) war in ukraine ( complex militaro industriel: billions) and incured debt to pay all this ( J*** central bank : billions of payed debt interests). It is all about money making ( stealing)for the J*** banks. Again a huge scam and nothing else. All state are at the moment governed by US puppets . Israhell west calls the shots. Wake up people !!!
Russia has already had “experience” with Germany, to say the least and does not trust Europe after they lost 20 million in WW2.
Germany sending aid to Ukraine is treading a very fine line already. If Germany puts boots on the ground in Ukraine, then Russia will invade Europe.
The solution to Ukraine is perhaps not easy, but may be as follows for a long-term solution:
EU and USA stop funding Ukraine.
USA removes the 46 biolabs and stops overtly and covertly testing viruses on the population and stops its development of biogenic weapons which would be used against Russia.
USA State department stays out of Ukraine and stops meddling.
Ukraine stops continually shelling Russian speaking areas of Ukraine (like it was before the war).
Ukraine disbands the Nazi Azov brigade and renounces everything Nazi.
Russia frees all the trafficked children in Ukraine and kills or captures the traffickers and stops the adrenochrome production in Ukraine.
NATO honours its pledge to stop expanding into Russian “spheres of influence”.
NATO disbands because it has no reason to exist now that there is no Warsaw Pact.
mark, i read somewhere ( cant find the link anymore) that the biolabs had been dismanteld at the beginning of the war when russian were near kiev. They were brought over to germany and the UK.
Perhaps somebody can comment and give a link
Dewar DT, You can find far more modern photos of German soldiers than one from a movie clip from WWII.
I would imagine 0% of Kiwi’s believe the NZ Army could protect them either… that’s what a generation of airy
fariey governments brings us.
In the end, it will need to be Veterans, Volunteers experienced with firearms and those serving who will need to grab their weapons and organise…OH…I FORGOT-
Jabby and her Communist Crew took all of the MSSA Firearms away from qualified, law abiding people!
That in itself is a set-up for complete globalist totalitarian intrusions on New Zealand sovereignty!
Still waiting to hear about the cancellation of the ‘Firearms Registry’ and the repeal of the Firearms Laws that Jabby and her Global Communist / Zionist / Fascist pals passed in a knee-jerk reaction.
Seymour, Luxon, and Winnie have yet to respond to such an inquiring question.
But, Carl Sagan once said;
“One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It’s simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we’ve been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back.”
(Carl Sagan)
Goethe once wrote; “One obtains power over the nightmare by calling it by it’s real name.” and-
“To be unqualified and allowed to succeed, that is tragic enough. But to be fully qualified and NOT allowed to succeed, that is the REAL tragedy!”