The protests are organised by "School Strike Against Compulsory Military Service", whose organiser Bela Breitner stated that the federal government is "serious about gradually reintroducing compulsory military service". A law introducing voluntary military service came into force in January, but organisers fear that if the security situation worsens or too few volunteers come forward, Germany's Parliament, the Bundestag, could consider a form of compulsory military service. Chancellor Friedrich Merz has prioritised boosting Germany's military following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, aiming to increase troop numbers to 260,000 by the early 2030s.