In Germany, around 100 demonstrations against the possible reinstatement of compulsory military service have been announced for Friday, 25 September. The «School Strike Against Conscription» initiative has called for the protests, according to Deutschlandfunk, citing the organisers. Enlistment in the Bundeswehr is currently voluntary, and the introduction of conscription would require a separate decision by the Bundestag.
Briefly about the main points
- Around 100 student protests have been planned for 25 September.
- The organisers have vowed to continue striking until the issue of conscription is removed from the agenda.
- From January 2026, 18-year-old men are required to complete a military service questionnaire.
- Medical examinations for men born in 2008 will begin in July 2027.
- A shortfall in volunteers does not automatically trigger compulsory conscription.
The organisers want to remove the issue of conscription from the agenda
The ‘Schulstreik gegen Wehrpflicht’ initiative opposes the prospect of young people being conscripted into military service. Its spokesperson Bela Breitner In a comment to the dpa news agency, he stated that the strikers would continue their strike until the possibility of compulsory service was removed from the agenda.
The protest on 25 September is set to be at least the fourth nationwide mobilisation of the movement since December 2025. The organisers have announced demonstrations, but there is as yet no final figure for the number of participants.
Registration forms and medical examinations: what has changed for young people
From January 2026, 18-year-old men and women will receive a questionnaire regarding their fitness and readiness for military service. Men are obliged to complete it, whilst for women, completion remains voluntary.
Required. medical examinations For men born in 2008, the process is due to begin on 1 July 2027. This procedure will subsequently be gradually extended to cover subsequent birth cohorts. Questionnaires and medical examinations are different stages of the new recruitment system.
The new model is expected to increase the number of volunteers in the Bundeswehr. If the targets for troop numbers are not met, the Bundestag may consider introducing conscription on an ad hoc basis.
A shortage of volunteers in itself will not automatically lead to the introduction of compulsory conscription: a separate legislative procedure is required for this. Germany suspended compulsory conscription in peacetime on 1 July 2011, although the legal provisions on military service remain in force. General conscription has not yet been reinstated.
