Germany suspends military approval for long stays abroad for men under 45

Scope and Origin of the Travel-Approval Law

• Law requires men under 45 to get approval for long stays abroad due to conscription rules; it was broadened in January to apply even in peacetime.
• Some argue it’s an old Cold War rule with no sanctions and little practical relevance; others counter that broadening its scope changes its nature.
• Several see the situation as a legislative/procedural failure: a problematic clause passed unnoticed and was then “suspended” by informal administrative exception instead of being fixed in parliament.
• Concern is raised that the law remains on the books and could be reactivated without new parliamentary approval.

Government Competence and Constitutional Constraints

• Commenters criticize the government and defense ministry as sloppy or incompetent for not anticipating the implications, or for late/poor communication.
• Others suggest the “general exception” might be intentional to allow fast reactivation in a crisis, though critics respond that this doesn’t explain the timing.
• A constitutional point is made: Germany’s basic law explicitly allows drafting only men; changing that would require a supermajority.

War Preparedness, Inequality, and Class

• Some see current “war preparation” rhetoric as targeted mainly at the working class while elites keep privileges (e.g., private jets), likening it to austerity and wealth transfer.
• Others reply that Germany is barely increasing effort compared to historical wartime mobilization.
• Debate over whether restricting luxury emissions (jets, crypto) would be symbolic or materially important.

Conscription, Gender, and Fairness

• Multiple commenters criticize male-only conscription as sexist and undermining claims of gender equality.
• Others defend exempting women on biological and civilizational grounds (reproduction, historical protection of women/children), while critics call this incompatible with modern equality norms.
• Some argue women are effective soldiers and underused due to military culture and “toxic masculinity.”

Why Fight? Personal vs. National Defense

• Some participants say they would refuse to fight for political elites or borders, prioritizing family safety over national defense.
• Others respond that “defending the country” is ultimately about protecting one’s family and way of life, especially against occupiers who may loot, repress culture, or create second-class citizens.
• There is disagreement on whether past occupations (e.g., Soviet era in Eastern Europe) were preferable to mass resistance and casualties.