Overview
- Student organizers, who staged a third round of school walkouts on Friday, said about 45,000 joined protests across more than 150 cities as police issued far lower counts in hubs like Berlin and Hamburg.
- Germany’s Wehrdienst law took effect on January 1 and requires mustering for men born in 2008, backed by a questionnaire that men must return or face fines of up to €250.
- The Defence Ministry said 86% of the targeted men had returned the form, and it is building 24 muster centers with the first opening this year and nationwide screening planned by mid‑2027.
- Protesters called for scrapping the law, halting any step toward conscription, and keeping the Bundeswehr out of schools, while teachers’ and parents’ groups joined rallies tied to the WWII anniversary message of “Never again war.”
- Police checked identities in some cities over provocative slogans after a related March arrest, and coverage also flagged claims of influence from left‑wing groups, as organizers announced a June action week and a larger strike in autumn.