Tens of thousands of people in Germany are expected to join around 120 peace protests across the country this weekend as Germany's peace movement prepares for its traditional Easter peace marches — even as the presumptive next German government under likely-Chancellor Friedrich Merz is getting ready to spend billions on rearming the country and is seeking to boost the number of Bundeswehr recruits from the current 83,000 to 203,000 by 2031 with a voluntary program.

German public opinion on war and peace are currently complex: Surveys by the Forsa research institute (carried out in March and April for media outlets RTL and NTV) found that while a majority of Germans (54%) now fear that the country could get dragged into the Ukraine war, only one in six of the population would be prepared to fight for the country.

The Easter marches themselves are very eclectic, with each of the 120 protests publishing its own appeals that make different demands and call attention to different conflicts around the world. But, according to Kristian Golla, who is helping to coordinate the demos through the organization Network of the German Peace Movement, there are a few key demands common to all: The demonstrations all oppose the "excessive arms build-up in Germany and Europe," call for more diplomatic efforts to end wars "especially those in Ukraine and Gaza," demand the dismantling of all nuclear weapons, and oppose the stationing of medium-range ballistic missiles in Europe.

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