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Students Stage Nationwide School Strike in Germany Over New Military Service Law

Students say they were excluded from decisions on a reform that could reintroduce conscription if volunteers fall short.

Overview

  • Coordinated walkouts on March 5 drew participants in cities including Munich, Dresden and Göttingen under the banner "Schulstreik gegen Wehrpflicht."
  • In Munich, police estimated about 600 attendees while organizers claimed more than 1,200, with a visible police presence around the rally.
  • A student in Munich was reportedly detained over a sign reading "Merz, stirb doch selbst an der Ostfront," with organizers saying officers pulled him from the crowd.
  • Dresden police described the protest there as calm, and local reporting said hundreds joined the action in Göttingen.
  • The January law sends questionnaires to all 18-year-olds—mandatory for men and voluntary for women—and permits a conditional draft if volunteer numbers fall short, a process youth groups criticize for lacking meaningful participation.