Key facts
- Students across Germany are protesting the potential reintroduction of compulsory military service.
- Organizers claim the German federal government is serious about gradually reintroducing conscription.
- All 18-year-old men are being sent mandatory questionnaires and medical exams regarding military service.
- The Defense Ministry confirmed that medical exams are mandatory for men born after December 31, 2007, regardless of their stated interest.
- Germany aims to increase its active military personnel to 260,000 by the early 2030s.
Students across Germany are participating in school strikes to protest the potential reintroduction of compulsory military service. Organizers, such as Bela Breitner from School Strike Against Compulsory Military Service, believe the federal government is seriously considering a gradual return to conscription due to worsening security situations and a potential shortfall in volunteers.
Protesters argue that young people are not interested in joining the Bundeswehr, Germany's army, and are striking until compulsory military service is definitively off the table. Demonstrations have been planned in major cities including Kiel, Hamburg, Berlin, and Frankfurt.
The current process involves sending questionnaires to all 18-year-olds, which are mandatory for men and voluntary for women. Those who are men are also required to undergo a medical examination to assess their fitness for service. The trigger for the recent protests appears to be the sending of official invitations for medical exams to some 18-year-olds who had previously indicated no interest in joining the army on their registration forms.
A spokesperson for the Defense Ministry confirmed that the obligation to undergo a medical examination applies to all men liable for military service born after December 31, 2007, irrespective of their stated interest. Approximately 1,000 such individuals have undergone medical exams since July.
Germany previously had compulsory military service, which was ended in 2011 by former Chancellor Angela Merkel. However, in response to perceived threats from Russia and pressure from the US, there is a stated aim to transform the Bundeswehr into Europe's strongest conventional army, increasing active troops from around 186,700 to 260,000 by the early 2030s, supported by an additional 200,000 reservists.