Student protests in Lower Saxony: Get rid of compulsory military service!

Student protests in Lower Saxony: Get rid of compulsory military service!

Today, December 5, 2025, the youth in Lower Saxony are rising up against the threatened reintroduction of compulsory military service. Strike actions are taking place in several cities, including Hanover, Braunschweig, Göttingen and Osterode am Harz, under the motto “We don't want to end up as cannon fodder”. The “School Strike Against Conscription” initiative has called for these measures to draw attention to the concerns of young people and to bring classes in schools to a standstill. The protest takes place as part of the current parliamentary discussions about a planned military service law, which is due to come into force on January 1, 2026, as NDR reports.

The exact strike locations and times are promising for participation: In Hanover the action begins at 1:30 p.m. at Ernst-August-Platz, while in Braunschweig and Göttingen the rallies take place at 12 p.m. in front of the town hall and at Hiroshimaplatz. In Osterode am Harz there will also be a protest at Martin-Luther-Platz at 11:30 a.m. These broad-based actions show the commitment of the pupils and students, whose voice is urgently needed in the political debate, according to the Lower Saxony Education and Science Union (GEW), which expressly supports the protests and also takes up the young people's critical statements. The picture that is emerging is that more and more young people are dealing with the issue of compulsory military service and see this development as a further burden in their life.

An alliance against compulsory military service

The GEW Lower Saxony has supported the initiative and emphasizes the importance of comprehensive opinion formation at educational institutions. The last few years have also shown an increase in the presence of the Bundeswehr in schools, which many consider to be problematic. The union rejects the one-sided presentation of security policy issues and refers to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which condemns the recruitment of minors under the age of 18. Not only is conscription itself seen as critical, but also the associated militarization of everyday school life.

As part of the planned regulation, young men born after January 1, 2008 will receive a questionnaire on their readiness for military service on their 18th birthday, which they must fill out. For women, however, participation remains voluntary. The chilling fear that such regulations not only raise questions about security and peace, but could also place additional psychological stress on young people, has led to a broad protest movement.

Political reactions and social perspectives

The Bundestag has already discussed a return to compulsory military service, and while some politicians emphasize the benefits of such a system, many students see the protests as an opportunity to make their voices heard loud and clear. Tamme, a 25-year-old protester, criticized the politicians' priorities, while Jan, 18, has a nuanced view of the issue. These differing opinions reflect the wide range of perspectives expressed in the current debate about military service.

Young people's support for the protests is strong, and it is noted that the Berlin State Student Committee is showing solidarity with the demonstrators by denouncing the lack of consideration of their views in the political discussion. The teachers' associations that warn about unexcused absences from school strikes are caught between supporting freedom of expression and the legal framework for school activities.

In view of the increasingly tense international situation, the government has made an argument for the need for compulsory military service, but it still fails to convince many critical voices. The question remains whether and how the planned law will affect the younger generation and what this means for the future political landscape. The protest that began today could be an important step towards educating the youth in Lower Saxony.