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More than 100,000 school and university students rallied across Germany on Oct. 31 against government spending cuts and plans to revive military conscription, demanding greater investment in education and public services.
The demonstrations remained largely peaceful through the afternoon. In Berlin, police recorded up to 5,000 participants outside the Brandenburg Gate, half the turnout announced by organizers from the Gen Z Regelt movement.
Students accused the government of Chancellor Friedrich Merz of prioritizing military expansion and big business while cutting welfare and social spending. They said years of cuts had left classrooms underfunded and public services strained.
Banners called for Merz to resign and carried messages including “Your austerity policy is costing our future,” “No to cuts and war budgets” and “Invest in people, not war.” Other signs demanded support for education, urged politicians to listen to Gen Z and declared: “Berlin is saving, the rich are laughing.”
Student representatives also criticized the government’s proposed health and pension reforms and its handling of the climate crisis. Demonstrators opposed a new military service law requiring compulsory medical examinations, which they said could pave the way for mandatory conscription.
“We want to show solidarity with France, we want to reclaim our future, we want to fight for educational justice,” university student Michelle told Anadolu Agency.
She said cuts were affecting public services needed to secure a fairer future and called for education funding to take priority over military spending.
Anastasia, 17, said students felt politicians were not listening to them. She opposed compulsory military service and rejected further militarization as a response to conflicts.
“I just don't think that we should send young kids into wars,” she told Anadolu Agency.
Sophie, a 16-year-old student, described teacher shortages, inadequate education budgets and poor school infrastructure. Inspired by demonstrations in France, she said she hoped similar action could bring change in Germany.
“More budget for schools, for example, because our school is very bad, the windows can't even close,” she said.
Several demonstrators wore keffiyehs, while others carried Palestinian flags in support of people in Gaza. Speakers expressed solidarity with student groups worldwide.
Participant Jean-Michel opposed higher defense spending while education remained underfunded. He also expressed solidarity with students in Lebanon, Syria and Palestine whose schools had been bombed, alleging Germany had provided financial, moral and political support for the destruction.
Before the rallies, media reports questioned the movement’s organization and security officials raised concerns about possible violence. Berlin organizers said they were committed to peaceful protest and were directing their criticism at political parties.
“The police are not our focus; we’re here because the political parties are all failing us,” one organizer said.
Berlin police said the Brandenburg Gate rally ended without any serious incident. Participation fell short of expectations in the capital and several other cities after some organizations withdrew their initial support.
The BSK, the largest student organization, and the Jusos, the youth wing of the center-left Social Democratic Party, cited a lack of transparency. They described the movement as a loose online coalition whose organizers were difficult to reach and whose leadership remained unclear. The Greens and the socialist Left Party supported the protests.
The demonstrations followed similar student actions in France, Belgium and Italy. Many participants cited the French protests as an inspiration, arguing large street demonstrations could push politicians to respond.
