Students strike across Germany

School strikes are taking place across Germany to protest against the possible reintroduction of compulsory military service following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Government plans gradual reintroduction

Bela Breitner from School Strike Against Compulsory Military Service said the federal government was serious about gradually reintroducing compulsory military service.

“serious about gradually reintroducing compulsory military service”

Voluntary service law came into force

A new law introducing voluntary military service came into force in January, aiming to recruit volunteers. If too few come forward or security worsens, compulsory service could be considered.

Young people reject military service

Sixteen-year-old Elias Bernhard from Hamburg said questionnaire responses show young people do not want to join the Bundeswehr. He vowed to strike until compulsory military service is off the table.

“We will carry on”

Medical exams trigger mass protests

Eighteen-year-olds in Kiel and Flensburg received medical exam invitations despite expressing no interest in the army. The Defence Ministry says around one thousand eighteen-year-old men have had the exam since July.

Germany aims for 260,000 troops by early 2030s

Chancellor Friedrich Merz wants to transform the Bundeswehr into Europe's strongest conventional army. Germany currently has around one hundred eighty-six thousand seven hundred troops and aims to raise this to two hundred sixty thousand by the early twenty thirty-ies.