BERLIN — Students across Germany demonstrated on Friday, skipping classes to voice their opposition against government reforms to military service. This protest followed the approval by the German parliament of a new regulation mandating that all men turning 18 must complete a questionnaire assessing their fitness and willingness to serve in the military, while women will have the option to participate voluntarily.
Reinstatement of mandatory examinations
As part of the broader reform, the government coalition has also decided to reintroduce mandatory medical examinations for all men born after 2008. Should the military fail to achieve its recruitment targets for voluntary service, a portion of those examined could be conscripted following a separate vote in the Bundestag.
Protests are taking place in approximately 90 towns and cities across the nation. According to reports from Berlin police, around 800 demonstrators gathered in the morning, with expectations of several thousand more joining throughout the day in the capital.
Voices of the youth
The initiative behind the protests, known as Schulstreik gegen Wehrpflicht (school strike against conscription), emphasized on their website:
“Politicians [and] Bundeswehr … argue how we should reintroduce conscription. But no one talks to us. No one asks us what we want.”
Among the students protesting was Martin, a high schooler from Brandenburg, who expressed his discontent by stating, “Why resolve wars by arming up? That’s just repeating what happened before the First and Second World Wars.” He shared his struggles with the idea of conscription, considering ways to avoid the draft, such as consulting a psychologist. “Why should I do what old men tell me to do?” he questioned. “I’d be actively doing training that doesn’t help me in life except to learn how to kill people.”
Another student, 17-year-old Nils, expressed a more nuanced perspective. While he didn’t oppose peers joining the armed forces, he felt the compulsory nature of the law prompted his participation in the demonstration. “The problem I have with it is that it shouldn’t be forced on anyone. Maybe they should consider making the profession of soldier more attractive to those who want to become soldiers,” he remarked.
In response to the protests, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius shared a video message on Instagram addressing the youth. He acknowledged their right to protest, stating, “Everyone can protest for and against everything. Freedom of expression is one of the major achievements of our democracy. Our entire way of life is a gift — but a gift we have to defend every single day.” He emphasized the necessity of defending democracy and the state, noting that it is the responsibility of the people to do so.
Germany aims to expand its military capacity, increasing active soldiers from 180,000 to 260,000 and reservists from 55,000 to 200,000, in response to NATO readiness requirements amid rising tensions with Russia. The ruling coalition, comprising the conservative bloc and the center-left Social Democrats, spent months deliberating the reform before finalizing the law change last November.