Around 28 percent of 18-year-old men in Germany have failed to respond to compulsory questionnaires sent by the Bundeswehr (Germany's armed forces), which mailed roughly 200,000 letters this year asking young men about their interest in military service and basic personal details. The mass non-response — described locally as young men "ghosting" the state — comes amid broader youth resistance to rearmament efforts, with conscientious objection filings already on a record pace in 2025 and student strikes against mandatory service drawing fresh crowds. The defence ministry has said it will follow up with non-respondents and may impose fines, but critics point to a lack of transparency around related measures, including a little-publicised rule requiring men aged 17–45 to obtain Bundeswehr approval before travelling abroad for more than three months.