2025–2026 German student strikes

Common card · No. 216241

The German school strikes against conscription (German: Schulstreik gegen Wehrpflicht) is an initiative against a reform, or possible reintroduction, of compulsory military service in Germany as proposed by the federal government of Friedrich Merz. The initiative was launched by decentrally organized students and seeks to invoke a debate and reexamination of compulsory military service, militarization and youth participation in politics through demonstrations and school strikes. The protests were initiatied in the context of the debate around the personnel strength and new modes of conscription for the Bundeswehr. The four organized protests in numerous German cities drew tens of thousand of protestors, mostly belonging to Generation Z. The school strikes are supported by student councils and unions, trade unions, peace organisations, churches and various groups of the political left. The movement has been criticized by the governing coalition but also some NGOs and unions. Besides that...

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