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German activists to protest against possible return of drafting
(MENAFN) German peace groups have announced a nationwide protest campaign opposing the government’s plan to reintroduce military conscription, warning that the country should become “capable of peace, not war.”
The government is reportedly moving ahead with a new conscription framework set to take effect on January 1, starting as a voluntary model that could later expand into a mandatory draft. Germany suspended compulsory military service in 2011, but officials now argue that it is needed to address a growing personnel shortage in the armed forces as recruitment numbers decline.
Peace movements say the initiative represents a “comprehensive militarization of society.” Organizers have called for a nationwide day of action on December 5, urging trade unions, social organizations, and universities to unite in opposition.
“The German government’s war preparations and the massive arms buildup, along with their drastic social consequences, make it imperative to intensify joint actions by the peace movement,” the group said following a meeting in Kassel over the weekend.
Under the slogan “Germany must not become capable of war, but rather of peace,” activists accused the government of spreading pro-military propaganda while neglecting social welfare, healthcare, and education. They argue that militarization is being promoted under the guise of “security policy.”
The conscription debate comes amid broader European Union efforts to strengthen defenses against perceived threats from Russia, a move Moscow has condemned as a distraction from Europe’s internal problems.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz has pledged to turn the Bundeswehr into the “strongest conventional army in Europe,” with a goal of becoming “war-ready” by 2029. Germany is currently Ukraine’s second-largest weapons supplier, after the United States.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov criticized Merz’s defense strategy, accusing Berlin of trying to restore Germany as “the main military machine of Europe” and of showing “direct involvement” in what Moscow calls a proxy conflict against Russia.
The debate unfolds as Germany faces mounting economic challenges, including stagnant growth and declining industrial output—trends economists have described as “dramatic.”
The government is reportedly moving ahead with a new conscription framework set to take effect on January 1, starting as a voluntary model that could later expand into a mandatory draft. Germany suspended compulsory military service in 2011, but officials now argue that it is needed to address a growing personnel shortage in the armed forces as recruitment numbers decline.
Peace movements say the initiative represents a “comprehensive militarization of society.” Organizers have called for a nationwide day of action on December 5, urging trade unions, social organizations, and universities to unite in opposition.
“The German government’s war preparations and the massive arms buildup, along with their drastic social consequences, make it imperative to intensify joint actions by the peace movement,” the group said following a meeting in Kassel over the weekend.
Under the slogan “Germany must not become capable of war, but rather of peace,” activists accused the government of spreading pro-military propaganda while neglecting social welfare, healthcare, and education. They argue that militarization is being promoted under the guise of “security policy.”
The conscription debate comes amid broader European Union efforts to strengthen defenses against perceived threats from Russia, a move Moscow has condemned as a distraction from Europe’s internal problems.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz has pledged to turn the Bundeswehr into the “strongest conventional army in Europe,” with a goal of becoming “war-ready” by 2029. Germany is currently Ukraine’s second-largest weapons supplier, after the United States.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov criticized Merz’s defense strategy, accusing Berlin of trying to restore Germany as “the main military machine of Europe” and of showing “direct involvement” in what Moscow calls a proxy conflict against Russia.
The debate unfolds as Germany faces mounting economic challenges, including stagnant growth and declining industrial output—trends economists have described as “dramatic.”
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