Thousands of school-age children protest new German military service

Thousands of school-age children took to the streets across Germany on Thursday to protest the country's new military service law.

The "school strike against conscription" drew up to 50,000 participants nationwide, organizers said.

After months of deliberations, Chancellor Friedrich Merz's administration passed a law late last year to bring back military service - initially in a voluntary capacity - in an effort to boost troop numbers.

All teenagers are to receive a questionnaire after turning 18 as a first step to assess their suitability and motivation to serve in the military. Men are required to fill out the form, while it is voluntary for women.

In Berlin, young people gathered at Potsdamer Platz and marched to Oranienplatz in Kreuzberg. Police counted around 3,000 participants, while organizers said 6,000 joined.

Banners called on Merz to head to the front, while demonstrators chanted "never, never, never again conscription."

There were also demonstrations in many other cities. According to the police, around 600 young people took to the streets in Munich.

In the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia, larger rallies were planned in Bonn and Dusseldorf, while in Hamburg, schoolchildren were set to demonstrate in the late afternoon.

The new military service law, which took effect on January 1, is a response to the threat posed by Russia, with Germany lagging in its NATO recruitment targets.

The programme is intended to assist in raising troop levels from 180,000 to 260,000, with an additional reserve force due to reach 200,000.