Germany’s Defense Ministry is trying to clean up a conscription-related legal mess after the Bundestag’s research service concluded that Defense Minister Boris Pistorius likely lacked the authority to suspend the rule requiring young men to get Bundeswehr approval for foreign stays longer than three months. Pistorius had issued the suspension in April after criticism of the rule, calling the original situation a “mistake,” but the Bundestag analysis says a ministry regulation cannot simply override a statutory requirement.

The ministry now plans to settle the issue through legislation on strengthening the military reserve. According to taz, the planned law would explicitly limit the foreign-travel reporting rule to cases of national tension or defense. Until then, the ministry says the suspension will remain in force and young men currently do not need Bundeswehr permission for foreign travel.

Read the entire piece in die Tageszeitung.