10,000 Signatures: Petition Against Armaments in Leipzig

Following the arrival of the U.S. defense contractor Covenant and the announcement of further defense industry plans in Leipzig, a petition has gathered more than 10,000 signatures. The goal of the petition is to spark a fundamental debate about the arms industry and the future of Leipzig, according to the initiative “Leipzig bleibt friedlich” (Leipzig Remains Peaceful). According to the organizers, the petition has already been submitted to the City of Leipzig and the Saxon State Parliament. 

On the online platform “OpenPetition,” the initiative’s petition, titled “The City of the Peaceful Revolution Must Not Become a City of Weapons!” has currently reached 10,749 signatures. The association, founded in 2019, describes itself as a coalition of committed citizens. In the past, the group has organized actions against the military use of the Leipzig-Halle Airport. The organizers are supported by the “Swords to Plowshares Alliance”—which, according to its own statements, is a coalition of peace initiatives in the region. Together, they are calling for “transparency, citizen participation, and an economic alternative to militarization.”

Petitions Committee Must Address the Issue

In the next step, the Petitions Committee of the Saxon State Parliament must address the petition. The petition is not legally binding. However, if it gathers 2,500 signatures, the committee can decide to hold a public hearing on the matter. According to the peace initiative, the City of Leipzig’s Petitions Committee has already announced that it will address this and other petitions regarding defense industry facilities in Leipzig.

Earlier this month, the U.S. defense contractor Covenant opened its production facility in Leipzig for the long-range cruise missile “Anthem.” Production is scheduled to begin in 2027. The Düsseldorf-based defense contractor Falk Defence states that it is developing prototypes of its “Siegfried” artillery rocket in Leipzig. However, it remains unclear whether and where the system will be produced.