A new law passed in Germany has laid the groundwork for potential mandatory conscription in the future, prompting thousands of left-wing high school students to take to the streets in protest under the slogan: "Better to live under Putin than to die, and with keffiyehs."

Germany approved a new draft law on military recruitment, with the Bundestag voting today by a majority of 323 to 272 in favor of the updated model proposed by the government of Friedrich Merz.

Under the new framework, starting in 2027, eighteen-year-old men will be required to complete a questionnaire and undergo medical examinations.

Military service will remain voluntary; however, if recruitment targets are not met, the Bundestag will have the authority to activate a partial mandatory draft.

Parallel to the vote, thousands of students staged demonstrations in more than eighty cities across Germany, rallying under slogans declaring that they do not want to die in war.