Thousands Rally Berlin as Gen Z Protests Spread Across Germany
Thousands rallied in Berlin as young people protested in more than 30 German cities over living costs, education cuts and military conscription. Police put the…
Thousands rally Berlin as Gen Z protests brought people into the streets of more than 30 German cities on Saturday, with demonstrators opposing rising living costs, education cuts and military conscription. The rallies put pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government over priorities young protesters say are affecting their everyday lives.
Police counted around 5,000 people at the Berlin demonstration, while organisers put attendance there at about 10,000. Nationwide, the organisers said more than 100,000 people took part; nearly 180,000 had signed up across 34 cities by Saturday morning.
The main Berlin rally gathered at Platz des 18 Maerz, beside the Brandenburg Gate, and began at 2pm. The protests were organised by a loose alliance called Gen Z Regelt, or “Gen Z sorts it”. Frankfurt, Cologne and Munich were among the other main host cities.
The numbers differ. But the grievances were clear.
Organisers outlined six issues behind the demonstrations, including the cost of living, education cuts and military conscription. Students said they were angry that funding for education and social services was being reduced while the government invested heavily in the military.
For students who must work to pay for their studies, the dispute is not abstract. Veronika Dinter, a 23-year-old political science student who travelled from Hannover, said high living costs had forced her to take a part-time job. She came to Berlin on Friday night to join the demonstration.
“I wanted to start studying to develop critical thinking and learn something new, but I didn’t realise how much it would cost to do so. I think this is something a lot of people in my generation are experiencing right now,” Dinter said.
She also described cuts across education and social services, saying universities were struggling, institutes were closing and teachers were losing their jobs. Dinter blamed the government’s political choices and criticised its military spending.
Emma Heymann, a 24-year-old student who lives in Berlin, said the cuts were affecting young people’s quality of life. She also criticised government spending on the military and funding for Israel’s war in Gaza.
Some travelled long distances to join the crowd. Phil Tziartzianis made an eight-hour journey from Kassel to demonstrate with his friend Jan Chrominski and other young people. “It feels important for me to be here among other young people who feel the same way,” he said.
Why did Gen Z protesters take to the streets?
Protesters cited rising living costs, reductions in education and social-service funding, and military conscription. Students said the squeeze on public services felt especially frustrating alongside heavy military investment.
That combination gives the rallies a direct household and campus dimension: students described taking jobs to meet study costs, while speakers raised concerns about universities, institutes and education facilities. Their complaints linked personal expenses to wider arguments about how the government allocates funding.
The Berlin gathering was calm as people streamed into the square to hear speakers. In Cologne, however, scuffles broke out between protesters and police, who moved to contain a march, according to the account of the demonstrations.
The protests also formed part of a wider wave of student demonstrations across Europe, with rallies in France, Belgium, Italy, Spain and Serbia in recent weeks. Kilian Hampel, a senior research fellow at the Future of Work Lab at the University of Konstanz, said demonstrations elsewhere were affecting young Germans.
Organisers said more than 100,000 people protested across Germany.
