Summary
A survey by the Bertelsmann Foundation found that most young Germans (ages 16-30) feel disillusioned with politics, citing distrust, lack of influence, and insufficient avenues for engagement beyond voting.
Only 8% believe politicians take their concerns seriously, and fewer than 1 in 5 feel they can enact change.
Despite this, 61% still see democracy as the best system.
The findings come as Germany faces potential elections after its coalition collapse, with experts urging politicians to better involve youth on key issues like peace, education, and inflation.
Does anyone know what we can do about this? Is there hope?
Build guillotines, break things. Germans used to do that circa 1849, etc.
Passivity is an explicit goal of modern media
The left needs to stop prioritising their donors, focus on actually improving welfare, and work on actually fixing cost of living. Until then you have people voting right to get back at boogeymen conjured up by conservatives while the left keeps ignoring the issue and saying that the economy is doing well.
Just get young people to vote. That’s the issue. Not enough young people vote so politicians know they don’t have to cater for them. If young people voted en masse then politicians would take them seriously.
I agree that people not voting is an issue. But looking at how young people voted in the last EU election, it’s far from the only one.
cater to them? You think the problems we have are focused on youth-specific issues? School buses to slow, that sort of thing?
I never said youth specific, but if young people want change they need to vote.