The German Federal Office for Family Affairs and Civil Society Functions (BAFzA) has reported a sharp increase in applications for conscientious objection to military service.

A BAFzA spokesperson told Germany's RND media group that 5,862 applications were received in the first half of 2026, compared to 3,867 in all of 2025 and 2,998 in 2024.

The rise follows the introduction of a new military service law in January, which mandates screening for young men born in 2008 or later to boost voluntary recruitment. If recruitment targets are missed, parliament could activate compulsory service.

Compulsory military service was suspended in Germany in 2011 but remains enshrined in the constitution. BAFzA stressed that the right to refuse service on grounds of conscience is protected under Article 4 of the Basic Law.

Separately, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) estimated around 5,120 heat-related deaths in June, with over 4,300 in the last week alone (June 22-28). The Federal Statistics Office reported 23,900 deaths that week, 7,100 more than two weeks prior.

The heatwave brought record temperatures above 40°C in several regions. Death rates in the second quarter of 2026 were in line with or below the four-year average.

Source: www.dw.com