Germany braces for 160,000 Gen Z protesters
More than 160,000 people are expected to take part in demonstrations across Germany on Saturday as a youth-led movement inspired by protests elsewhere in Europe mobilises against rising living costs, poor education facilities and compulsory military service.
The rallies, organised by the campaign group Gen Z regelt (Gen Z takes charge), are scheduled in 34 cities, including Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich.
The demonstrations coincide with Halloween celebrations.
The movement comes amid a wave of Gen Z-led protests across Europe this year.
In Serbia, student activism helped bring down the country’s long-time leader through elections, while demonstrations in France have escalated into rioting and looting.
German authorities expect the rallies to remain largely peaceful but havewarned that extremist groups could attempt to exploit the demonstrations.
According to the federal interior ministry, parts of Germany’s far-left extremist scene and groups linked to foreign extremist movements have joined efforts to mobilise support.
“We all have those images from France in our minds – looting, burning houses, burning police vehicles, and attacks on police officers,” said Roman Poseck, interior minister of the state of Hesse.
He warned against treating the unrest in France as a model for Germany.
In Berlin, several businesses along the luxury Kurfuerstendamm shopping boulevard have boarded up their windows and plan to close early amid concerns about possible unrest.
Young people demand change
Organisers say the protests reflect growing frustration among younger generations over the government’s response to their concerns.
“The government has offered no response to our concerns other than to continue making cuts and piling further burdens upon us,” said Steve, an 18-year-old scheduled to speak at a rally in Munich, addressing Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
“We will continue to exercise our fundamental right to assemble until you stop ignoring us,” he added.
Germany is struggling to revive economic growth while facing mounting pressure on its pension system and public services as the baby-boomer generation retires and the working-age population declines.
However, questions have emerged over the campaign’s leadership and whether it is genuinely youth-led, given the involvement of a broad range of political and civil society groups.
Germany’s national school student umbrella organisation, BSK, has distanced itself from Gen Z regelt and announced plans to organise a separate protest on November 20.
“We are distancing ourselves from ‘Gen Z regelt,’ but not from the students themselves, who have legitimate concerns,” said BSK Secretary-General Amy Kirchhoff on Thursday.
Despite the controversy, some students say they plan to join Saturday’s demonstrations to highlight problems in the education system. Sean Baker, a student at the Technical University of Berlin, said he would protest over the deteriorating condition of university buildings.
“When you go inside and enter the rooms, it looks like an abandoned building,” he told Reuters. “Yet this is where we’re expected to study on a regular basis.”
