Students strike across Germany in protest against military service

School strikes have erupted across Germany in opposition to the potential reinstatement of compulsory military service. One strike organizer, Bela Breitner, stated that the federal government is "serious" about reintroducing compulsory military service. In Hamburg, demonstrators held up banners declaring, "We won't take part in your wars."

Chancellor Friedrich Merz has prioritized strengthening Germany's military following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In January, a new law allowing voluntary military service came into effect, intended to boost the number of soldiers. However, if the security situation escalates or if volunteer recruitment falls short, compulsory military service could be reintroduced by Germany's Parliament.

All 18-year-olds in Germany receive a questionnaire asking if they are willing to join the armed forces. Sixteen-year-old Elias Bernhard, from Hamburg, expressed disappointment that young people do not want to join the Bundeswehr. The questionnaire is mandatory for men and voluntary for women. All 18-year-old men must undergo a medical exam to assess their fitness for potential military service.

Over a hundred demonstrations are planned nationwide, including in Kiel, Hamburg, Berlin, and Frankfurt. A Defense Ministry spokesperson confirmed that the obligation to undergo the medical exam applies to all men liable for military service born after December 31, 2007, including those who express no interest in compulsory service.

Since July, around 1,000 18-year-old men who showed no interest in the army have undergone the medical exam. Germany, which joined NATO in 1955, previously had a large army during the Cold War. However, it downsized its armed forces in the 1990s following the collapse of the Iron Curtain. Germany's previous Chancellor, Angela Merkel, abolished compulsory military service in 2011.

Merz now aims to transform the Bundeswehr into Europe's strongest conventional army, with a goal of 260,000 troops by the early 2030s, supplemented by around 200,000 reservists, to meet NATO force targets and bolster Germany's defenses.