More than 160,000 people are expected to take to the streets across Germany on Saturday as a youth-led protest movement calls for better education, lower living costs and an end to compulsory military service, organizers say.
The demonstrations, planned in 34 cities including Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich, are part of a wider wave of Gen Z-led activism sweeping Europe this year, with young people increasingly challenging government policies and demanding greater economic and social opportunities.
Organized by the campaign group Gen Z regelt, which translates as "Gen Z takes charge," the protests come as many young Germans face mounting financial pressures and concerns about the quality of public services and education. The movement is also opposing plans for compulsory military service, calling instead for greater government investment in schools and universities.
The demonstrations follow months of youth-led unrest elsewhere in Europe. In Serbia, student activism helped bring about the removal of the country's long-time leader through the ballot box, while protests in France have escalated into episodes of rioting, looting and clashes with police.
German authorities expect Saturday's rallies to remain largely peaceful but have warned that extremist groups could attempt to exploit the demonstrations to advance their own agendas.
According to the federal Interior Ministry, parts of Germany's far-left extremist scene and some organizations linked to foreign extremist movements have joined efforts to mobilize support for the protests.
The warnings have prompted concerns about possible violence, particularly in major cities preparing for large crowds. The demonstrations also coincide with Halloween celebrations, adding to security preparations.
"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 for the state of Hesse.
"France must not be held up as a model in this regard," he added.
In Berlin, businesses along the upscale Kurfürstendamm shopping boulevard have taken precautions ahead of the demonstrations, with some boarding up their windows and planning to close early amid fears of possible unrest.
Young Germans demand government action
Despite the security concerns, organizers say the demonstrations are primarily about the economic difficulties and uncertain prospects facing younger generations in Europe's largest economy.
Germany is struggling to restore economic growth while confronting mounting pressure on its pension system and public services as the postwar baby-boom generation retires and the working-age population declines.
Young protesters argue that the government is failing to address their concerns, leaving them to shoulder the consequences of spending cuts and rising living costs.
"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 said.
However, questions have emerged over the movement's leadership and how representative it is of Germany's younger generation, given the involvement of a broad range of political and civil society groups.
The country's national umbrella organization for school students, BSK, has distanced itself from Gen Z regelt and announced plans to organize a separate nationwide day of protests on Nov. 20.
The organization stressed that its decision did not amount to a rejection of the concerns driving the demonstrations.
"We are distancing ourselves from 'Gen Z regelt,' but not from the students themselves, who have legitimate concerns," BSK Secretary-General Amy Kirchhoff said Thursday.
Some students, meanwhile, say they plan to participate because of problems affecting their daily education.
Sean Baker, a student at the Technical University of Berlin, said he would join Saturday's demonstrations to highlight the deteriorating condition of university buildings and facilities.
"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."