---
title: "Bundestag vs. Brussels: German MP Advocates for Right to Conscientious Objection for Ukrainians"
description: "A scandal has erupted in the Bundestag: German MP Anton Hofreiter spoke out against EU plans to limit temporary protection for Ukrainian men of conscription age. The politician reminded of the right to conscientious objection, while Denmark and Switzerland have already begun to tighten rules at the national level. 🇪🇺🇺🇦🚫"
date: 2026-06-27T10:33:55.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/bundestag-vs-brussels-german-mp-advocates-for-right-to-conscientious-objection-for-ukrainians
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Bundestag vs. Brussels: German MP Advocates for Right to Conscientious Objection for Ukrainians

![German MP in a pinstripe suit advocating for the right of Ukrainians to refuse military service](https://xab.info/media/2026/06/27/bundesstag-protiv-brusselya-pravo-na-otkaz-ot-sluzhby/bundesstag-protiv-brusselya-pravo-na-otkaz-ot-sluzhby-1.webp)

A heated debate has erupted in Berlin regarding the future status of Ukrainian refugees. Anton Hofreiter, Chairman of the Bundestag Committee on European Affairs from the party "Alliance 90 / The Greens," sharply criticized initiatives by the European Commission aimed at tightening the rules for temporary protection. At the heart of the conflict is the fate of Ukrainian men of conscription age, who may lose their automatic right to asylum in the EU.

### Brussels' Plan: Differentiation of Applicants

The situation has intensified against the backdrop of a proposal by the European Commission, published on June 26, 2026. The document provides for the extension of the Temporary Protection Directive until March 2028, albeit with significant caveats. According to emerging data, European regulators are developing a mechanism that would exclude Ukrainian male citizens aged 18 to 60 from the simplified procedure.

In the event of this scenario, entering men would be moved from the automatic temporary protection status to the general, more lengthy, and complex procedure for examining individual asylum applications. This effectively means that obtaining legal status will become a much more laborious process for them.

### Anton Hofreiter's Position: Priority of Human Rights

The German parliamentarian called the possible revision of Directive 2001/55/EC an incorrect step that violates basic European standards. In an interview with the ntv channel, Hofreiter focused on the ethical side of the issue, reminding of the fundamental right to conscientious objection to military service.

"I advocate for the fundamental right to conscientious objection. No one should be forced to use weapons if this is in direct contradiction with their internal ethical or religious values," the deputy stated.

In Hofreiter's opinion, narrowing the scope of collective protection based on demographic and gender characteristics creates a dangerous precedent of legal uncertainty. He fears that such measures could blur the humanitarian basis of the migration policy of the entire European Union.

### Reality on the Ground: Denmark and Switzerland

Although the pan-European decision is still in the stage of coordination in the Council of the EU (expected adoption — July or September 2026), individual countries have already begun to act independently, implementing a differentiated approach at the national level.

A striking example is Denmark. Copenhagen approved a regulation according to which Ukrainian men aged 23 to 60, who do not have documented medical or social grounds for exemption from military service, are excluded from simplified schemes for obtaining residence permits.

Similar processes are underway in Switzerland. Federal justice and police authorities are studying legal models for the phased change of conditions of stay and the reduction of social benefits for persons subject to military service.

### Official Position of Kyiv and Statistics

Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly emphasized that verification measures for citizens abroad are carried out exclusively within the legal framework of the country. Kyiv states that the modernization of consular registration rules is aimed at the transparency of mobilization resources, and interaction with the EU is built on equal terms.

However, the scale of the problem is huge. According to Eurostat, as of the first half of 2026, about 4.33 million people received temporary protection in EU countries. The leaders in reception remain Germany (1.27 million people) and Poland (more than 961 thousand). It is in these countries that discussions about reviewing the status may have the most tangible social consequences.