Germany is preparing new rules for reservists that could require men and women who served in the armed forces for less than a year and have reached the age of 45 to take part in regular military training. Spiegel reported the plan, citing a draft law aimed at strengthening the reserve.

According to the magazine, the training would last two weeks and take place either every year or once every two years. The rules could be tougher for those who served for more than a year or joined the Bundeswehr as career or temporary service members: under the proposal, they could be called up for training until the age of 65.

The explanatory note to the draft says regular exercises are needed to keep the reserve reliably prepared. It also stresses that the reserve plays an important role in national security and in strengthening society’s resilience.

Spiegel says the German government could approve the initiative as early as the beginning of July at a «symbolic meeting,» after which the bill would be sent to the Bundestag for consideration.

The proposal fits into German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius’s broader plans to expand the country’s armed forces. By the mid-2030s, he wants to increase the army to 265,000 service members and build the reserve up to 200,000 people.