A sizeable student protest is underway in Germany, a country at the heart of the European Union — which Canadian PM Mark Carney is attempting to gain special “associate membership” in — just months after its parliament passed legislation to force 18-year-old males into medical examinations to determine who is fit for military service.
The law also allows the German parliament, the Bundestag, to pass “compulsory military conscription” if they deem recruitment to the armed forces to be too low.
According to the organizers of the “School Strike Against Conscription,” over 45,000 students in approximately 100 cities across Germany have participated.
The German government announced the “Military Service Modernization Act” in December last year.
The German federal parliament instituted a “legal basis” to force questionnaires and medical examinations for 18 year olds and all who subsequently reach the age of 18.
As of January 1st this year, “all 18-year-old men and women will be asked to complete a questionnaire to assess their motivation and suitability for service in the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces).”
From July 1, 2027, the announcement reads that “all men born in 2008 and after will be subject to a mandatory medical evaluation. Based on the questionnaires and the muster results, the Bundeswehr can draw on a pool of potential recruits for defence situations.”
A crucial point of contention for protesters in the same statement states that the parliament can pass “compulsory military service” if the German armed forces find that it can no longer rely on volunteers to staff its military.
“If the security situation worsens, or if not enough people volunteer to meet the targets, then the Bundestag can pass a law to make military service ‘compulsory on demand’ at the request of the Federal Government,” the statement reads. “This is intended to close the gap between the Bundeswehr’s requirements and the actual number of personnel available.”
Other EU countries have instituted similar conscription laws following the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, including Latvia in 2023 and Croatia in 2025.
Denmark, another EU country, has also expanded its existing military draft legislation since the invasion.
Germany had the second lowest enrolment willingness rate of any European Union member, with only 18 per cent of residents saying they were willing to fight and go to war for their country according to a 2015 WIN / Gallup International global survey.
The Netherlands was the only country with a lower rate of citizens willing to fight for their country in 2015, according to the poll.
Bring compulsory service to Canada. One year mandatory service for every 18 year old, and every adult trying to immigrate.
Positives; 1) Discipline. 2) A feeling of belonging to Canada, not just your group. 3) Some will remain, and we'd have a military again.
Negatives; none that I can see.