The protests, organized under the banner "School Strike Against Military Service," took place in over 90 cities, including Hamburg, Bochum, Bielefeld, Münster, Cologne, Dusseldorf, and Stuttgart, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
In Berlin, more than 3,000 students gathered near Hallesches Tor metro station before marching to Oranienplatz. They carried banners with messages such as "No to compulsory military service," "Students against wars and rearmament," "Our future is our future," and "We decide ourselves."
A smaller group of protesters also gathered outside the Bundestag building while lawmakers debated the bill inside.
The Bundestag voted to pass the bill with a result of 323 in favor, 272 against, and one abstention. The legislation now moves to the Bundesrat, the upper house of Germany’s parliament, for further approval later this month. If enacted, the law would come into effect on January 1, 2026.
The reform aims to address ongoing personnel shortages in the Bundeswehr, Germany's armed forces, which currently has around 184,000 active-duty members. The Ministry of Defense plans to increase this number to approximately 270,000 by 2035 to meet NATO obligations, requiring about 20,000 new recruits each year.
Under the new system, men born after January 1, 2008, must complete a questionnaire assessing their fitness, qualifications, and willingness to serve, followed by mandatory medical exams. Participation will remain voluntary for women.
Although military service itself is still voluntary, the law includes provisions that would require parliamentary review if recruitment targets are not met. This could potentially lead to the introduction of conscription or even mandatory national service if necessary.
Germany had abolished compulsory military service in 2011, transitioning to an all-volunteer professional army.
