Youth demos in solidarity with French students expected in Germany on Oct 31

Under the motto “Our future is in our hands”, a youth initiative called “Gen Z regelt” has called on young Germans to join demonstrations across the country on October 31. 

Gen Z regelt announces German youth demos

It probably wasn’t what Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz had in mind when they reaffirmed the Franco-German friendship back in July. 

“The movement has spread to Germany: the first solidarity actions in support of the school pupils’ protests in France have already taken place,” the Gen Z regelt (Gen Z’s Got it) position paper explains.

The initiative has called on youngsters to join official demonstrations in five German cities, Berlin, Cologne, Hamburg, Frankfurt and Munich, on October 31. Participants can also organise demonstrations in other cities, though Gen Z regelt is not responsible for organising. Additional demonstrations are now scheduled in 16 more cities.

The 21 demonstrations have already garnered nearly 30.000 sign-ups. After clicking an “I’m in” button on the Gen Z regelt website, participants are prompted to share their sign-up on social media. 

What are German Gen Z’ers demanding?

German Gen Zers have similar frustrations to their French counterparts. “Wherever we look, we see crises and hardly any prospects for us,” their position paper explains. 

The movement is calling on the CDU/CSU-SPD government to act in six areas: broken schools and austerity; the rising cost of living; unfair distribution of burdens; ending conscription; stopping surveillance expansion; and real climate action now.

The initiative said that austerity cuts to education, social services, culture and health were being made “on our backs, while big corporations keep profiting and billions flow into rearmament”.

Gen Z regelt has specified that it “oppose[s] all forms of violence” against people and property. Andreas Roßkopf, head of the German Federal Police's GdP union, has said police will take a "vigilant and relaxed” approach to the demonstrations.

However, speaking to Rheinische Post, Roßkopf said "state, but also federal police, will offer a firm and decisive response" to any violent protest. 

French police face accusations from Amnesty International and other human rights organisations of using excessive force against schoolchildren and university students who have been protesting for better education conditions.

According to an opinion poll released the week beginning October 12, 57 percent of the French public are still in support of the protests, which trade unions and parents have now also joined, while 33 percent are opposed.