German students walk out to protest new military service law

Thousands of students across Germany skipped classes on Friday to protest a new military service law, warning it signals a broader political shift toward militarization.

Organized by the “School Strike Against Conscription Initiative,” demonstrations took place in nearly 130 cities—including Berlin, Hamburg, Bonn, and Munich.

“We remember the historic May 8 and say clearly: never again war, never again fascism, never again conscription,” the group said in a statement, marking the 81st anniversary of the end of World War II.

Germany’s new military service law, which took effect at the start of 2026, requires all males turning 18 to complete a questionnaire assessing their fitness, skills, and interest in joining the armed forces.

While the system currently remains voluntary, protesters say the government aims to reintroduce conscription step by step—starting with mandatory questionnaires this year and medical examinations by military doctors next year.

“Chancellor Merz suggests that mandatory service will be imposed if not enough volunteers come forward,” the initiative said. “This makes one thing clear: preparations for war are underway, and we—young people—are expected to serve as the cannon fodder.”

In Berlin, around 2,000 students and supporters gathered at the capital’s landmark Brandenburg Gate on Friday, then marched to the headquarters of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU).

During the protests, students carried banners reading “Never again war! Never again fascism!”, “Your wars—without us!”, and “Students against wars.” Others held placards that read “The rich want war, the youth want the future,” and “No war but class war.”

Germany’s new military service law aims to address chronic personnel shortages in the armed forces, which currently has about 184,000 active troops.

Amid growing international crises and in an effort to meet NATO goals, the Defense Ministry plans to expand the force to more than 260,000 by 2035. That would require 20,000 recruits each year, and many analysts say it would be difficult to reach that target through a voluntary system alone.

If voluntary recruitment falls short, parliament would have to revisit the law and could consider demand-based or even mandatory conscription.