Massive demonstrations by German students protesting the return of conscription – Mehr News Agency | RCO News Agency

According to Mehr news agency, citing Politico, thousands of German students protested against the government’s new reforms in the field of conscription by leaving classrooms in different cities of the country.

According to these reforms, which were approved by the Federal Parliament (Bundestag) on ​​Friday, all 18-year-old men will be required to fill out a questionnaire about their physical fitness and willingness to serve in the army; While this questionnaire for women will still be voluntary.

Also, the government has decided to resume mandatory medical examinations for those born in 2008 and later. If the army is not able to provide the necessary forces from among the volunteers, a part of the examined people can be called into service after a separate vote in the parliament.

Protests against the compulsory service system in Germany were held in 90 German cities and regions.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said in a video message to students on Thursday: Democracy and the government cannot defend themselves; People have to do it.

The German government, within the framework of its commitments to NATO and considering the increasing threat from Russia, plans to increase the number of active army forces from 180 thousand to 260 thousand and reserve forces from 55 thousand to 200 thousand.

Germany’s ruling parties had been negotiating these reforms for months and reached an agreement in November.