German students strike against possible return of compulsory military service
Over 100 demonstrations planned as youth reject mandatory service tied to Merz's military expansion plans.
What to know
- German students are striking nationwide against the possible reintroduction of compulsory military service, which Chancellor Merz's government may pursue if voluntary recruitment falls short.
- The trigger for protests was 18-year-olds being sent mandatory medical exams despite expressing no interest in military service on their registration forms.
- Merz has prioritized military expansion to meet NATO targets and respond to Russian threats, aiming to grow the Bundeswehr from 186,700 to 260,000 troops by the early 2030s.
- Organisers say over 100 demonstrations are planned across major German cities, with protesters demanding compulsory service be taken off the political agenda.
“That is why I am out on the streets today. That is why we are serious about striking until compulsory military service is off the table. We will carry on.”
Elias Bernhard, 16-year-old protester · BBC News ↗
Friedrich Merz German ChancellorBela Breitner Strike organizer, School Strike Against Compulsory Military ServiceElias Bernhard 16-year-old protester, Hamburg
How it unfolded 2 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlespostscomments
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Strike organizers warn of gradual conscription reintroduction
Bela Breitner, from School Strike Against Compulsory Military Service, said the federal government was planning to gradually reintroduce mandatory service. 16-year-old protester Elias Bernhard stated questionnaire responses show young people do not want to join the Bundeswehr.
“serious about gradually reintroducing compulsory military service…”
— Bela Breitner -
Schoolchildren in Germany protest against conscription Nationwide protests by schoolchildren against the possible introduction of compulsory military service took place in Germany. According to the organizers, the protests were held in more than 100 cities and drew more than
2 more of the top 3 · 27 posts in this stretch
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The state pension in Germany isn't good. Anyone who is stuck on just state pensions is not well off. All the lovely bAV pensions have been phazed out by most companies and the companies that have them still are a shadow of what they once were. Civil servants are fully protected though. Also most people in Germany do not work the full 45 years…
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Surprise! German students do not want to die in their politicians' wars. "German students take to the streets against compulsory military service plans": https://www. aa.com.tr/en/europe/german-stu dents-take-to-the-streets-against-compulsory-military-service-plans/4069445
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Students strike across Germany against military service reintroduction
School strikes took place across Germany with demonstrators waving flags and holding banners reading 'We won't take part in your wars.' Over 100 demonstrations are planned in cities including Kiel, Hamburg, Berlin, and Frankfurt.
“We won't take part in your wars…”
— Hamburg protesters -
4 outlets first by BBC, 6d ago · also Goshen News, Anadolu Ajansı, Anadolu Agency · read ↗
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🇩🇪 German students are out protesting against mandatory military service, DEMANDING the issue be taken off the agenda. As of January 1, all 18-year-old men in Germany are required to fill out a digital questionnaire regarding their physical fitness and interest in joining the
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background
Young men sent medical exams despite stating no interest — 18-year-olds in Kiel and Flensburg who expressed no interest in military service on their registration forms received official invitations for mandatory medical exams. A Defence Ministry spokesperson confirmed that since July, around 1,000 young men showing no interest have had the exam.
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background
Germany introduces voluntary military service law — A new law establishing voluntary military service came into force with the aim of recruiting soldiers. All 18-year-olds receive questionnaires asking about interest in joining the armed forces; men must also undergo medical fitness exams.
Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet
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first by vreme.com, 6d ago · also Al Jazeera
2 more headlines
- Tens of Thousands Protest German Conscription Plans تسنیم · 6d ago
- Thousands of students protest German military conscription Mastodon · 4d ago
What people are saying 20 voices from 1 site · best of 28 · verbatim
- Sep 28
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No its not, like many pointed out, plenty state with high taxation and people doing military service. Is about IF the state get perceived as helpful and supportive it not; Germany has focus for years on austerity, and people are piss off.
- Sep 26
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Because young people have been standing up for themselves, and becaude they refuse to be taken advantage of, older generations take that as being lazy.
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If everyone able to fight just flees, what then? A few superpowers gobbling up the smaller countries, until there are none left to grab. I don't see how, for example, Finland could defend itself with voluntary or professional army.
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here's a thought: maybe we stop pretending that geopolitical conflicts need to be solved by the poorest and most disenfranchised citizens of either side killing each other until someone runs out of bodies. That's a lofty goal that falls apart as soon as a single enemy decides "oh sending my poorest and disenfranchised citizens to kill them sounds…
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The US with all its problems going on is at least not ran by cowards and weaklings. If Trump and Hegseth (and Rubio etc) are not "cowards and weaklings" in your eyes, you should get your eyes checked.
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Students, military service is going to be your least problem when you finally realize that you won’t be able to make a living with your jobs that you will be working, provided you will have found any.
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The thing is, right now, Russians aren't there, and with how Ukraine is going for them, it's unlikely they will ever be here at all. But the cost of living, job security, housing, healthcare, and pensions ARE here already, and they WILL be worse with time. So, do the math.
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My perspective comes from having survived the siege of Sarajevo. None of the things you are talking about matter if you are dead in a ditch somewhere. Also if by any chance I’m home when the enemy strikes, I can defend myself, surrender, try to hide or run away, I can even off myself, there are options, but I’m sure as hell not going to the front…
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...your point is because young people chose to care about elder people in times of a pandemic, that the logical consequence is them also dying for them in a war they don't want? That's gotta be the most stupid shit I've read all week. Thanks for that.
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It is morally wrong to force people into the army, if they think their country is not worth defending then it is their government fault.
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Ukrainians are facing genocide if they lose, because Russians don't consider them - and them specifically - people. They're fighting for survival. This is not the same.
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Funny, you sound to me like you fell for some propaganda as well and should step out of your bubble. Who is the bigger internal threat: rich elites avoiding taxes and giving shits on climate or immigrants falling into criminalizing poverty?
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This. We now live in neo-feudalism and the same relation to military service applies. Nobody tried to conscript serfs until 19th century, and the attempt was followed by the Springtime of the Peoples. Under feudalism the only people who can accept the risk of military service are the elites. The billionaires. The serfs will instead violently…
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If Germany and our allies are attacked (because we didn't manage to build up a sufficient deterrence) and a war happens, why would you prefer to be send to the front with only a few weeks of crash course instead of multiple months of basic military training and training for a specific assignment? How would that be safer for the untrained soldier?
- Sep 25
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Having mandatory service will not save you from being invaded by Russia. Ukraine had mandatory service and still got invaded. The only real solution is nukes, no country with nukes gets invaded and all powers basically never talk about invading a country with nuclear weapons. But interestingly it’s not that much talked about. I guess politicians…
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Factually false based on history. Actively preparing for war makes war more likely. See WW1 and how early mobilizations made war impossible to avoid
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As a German, I don't care. But I won't die for my country. Because as an atheist i do believe I just have this one life so dieing for something is truly stupid.
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Yeah, I never understood this argument against mandatory service. Not having mandatory service will not increase your chance of avoiding the war. It basically employs the logic of superstition.
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Previous generations were treated as people, and were motivated to fight for the freedoms and everything else they got to enjoy. Millennials onwards can more than stand up for themselves. The question is, why would they stand up for their country that has thus far treated them like absolute dogsh*t?
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There are not enough professionals because there is a lack of military culture that makes the service look cool. And speaking from my personal experience, everyone from my school who went to the military, which was a pretty good handful, all went to the officer academy.