Germany to increase military personnel after decades of cuts

Germany plans to beef up its military by adding thousands of new soldiers to its ranks, German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen announced on Tuesday.

Von der Leyen said in Berlin that a personnel increase was "necessary as things currently stand," given the growing responsibilities and new challenges that Germany's armed forces are facing.

The German Defense Ministry has foreseen additional staffing needs of 14,300 soldiers and 4,400 civilians in the next seven years.

According to von der Leyen, around 7,000 new soldier positions are to be created over the next years, while other staff gaps are expected to be closed through internal restructuring.

The move marks a reversal of the shrinking of Germany's armed forces, which has lasted 25 years since the country reunified in 1990. Whereas in 1990 there were 585,000 soldiers in the German army, this number has now dropped to 177,000.

The new plan also represents a reversal of the policies implemented by the last two German defense ministers, Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg and Thomas de Maiziere, who presided over major personnel and equipment cuts.

Von der Leyen believes her plan is a necessary adaptation to modern pressures with an emphasis on new challenges, such as migration across the Mediterranean and 16 separate foreign missions. Enditem