The young German leaned against the far end of the political spectrum in Sunday’s election. Most support Die Linke (left) and far right alternative fur German Germany (AFD), or German alternative.
The German Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party secured more than 28% of the total vote, won the federal election, defeating incumbent Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD), but the young Germans are the leaders. He threw support behind 69 years. The old Friedrich Merz.
The AFD was second in overall, with 20% being the biggest result of the right-wing party since World War II. The left, popular among young people, won 8.7%. This is an unexpected outcome that would be considered a success, as previous polls estimated that there were few supporters.
The stakes were expensive. A record-breaking 83.5% of people voted. This is the highest voter turnout since Germany’s unification in 1990.
Merz is likely to become prime minister, but is set to inherit a split country divided into immigration, economic weakness and ideological differences.
Here’s what we know about how the young Germans voted in the election:
What do we know about how young people voted?
Dai Linke beat the young German. The party has secured 25% of votes between the ages of 18 and 24. It was the highest of all political parties, earning a 17-point rise from the 2021 federal election results. ARD’s company, a German public broadcasting station.
The AFD came in second, and was considered the winner of the biggest election night after doubling its vote share from the 2021 results, attracting more voters, with tougher immigration policies, the economy and Russia Focused on a kind position. The far-right party is a very popular option among people aged 18-24, securing around 21% of the vote. This has risen by 14 points since 2021.
The CDU and the Christian Social Union’s centre right block won the election, securing 208 seats out of the 630 bondage. Most of that support came from people over the age of 45. On the contrary, only 13% of people aged 18 to 24 voted for conservatives.
As the party does not have an absolute majority, a coalition must be formed to win 316 seats. This is the minimum amount needed to form a government.
Center left SPD saw the worst results since World War II. Scholz announced he has resigned as leader, but the SPD can remain in the government as Meltz is seeking a possible coalition partner. 12% of voters ages 18 to 24 supported the SPD since 15% of the 2021 federal elections.
What do young Germans care about?
Reto Mitteregger, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Zurich in Switzerland, told Al Jazeera that Die Linke and the AFD successfully harnessed concerns among young Germans during their campaign.
A 2024 survey by Shell Energy found that 81% of Germans between the ages of 12 and 25 say they are primarily concerned about the war in Ukraine. Poverty was the second biggest fear at 67%, and environmental pollution was 64%.
Another 2024 trend survey survey of over 2,000 youths found that 41% between the ages of 14 and 29 are interested in the rise in immigration. They also found that AFDs are becoming popular due to concerns about housing, the economy and poverty.
Why does AFD appeal to young Germans?
Mitteregger said the AFD attracted young male voters because the anti-immigrant agenda is “more normalized today.”
“Young voters may not be scared of their agenda more than they did four years ago,” he said.
However, more young men supported AFD, but compared to younger women, it was more likely to support the left.
“The younger men still vote for the leftist party more strongly than the older men, but they support the AFD much stronger than the younger women. A quarter of those under the age of 25 voted for the AFD, Only 14% of women are the same age. It is difficult to know why these differences are seen at the moment, but dissenting opinions on immigration and gender equality are more likely to divide young people than the old ones,” Mitterger said. I said that.
What is Die Linke standing for?
Dai Linke, a socialist party, defends an “immigrant society” where everyone has the same rights and opportunities and is not deported.
“We are pursuing concrete goals. We are able to live self-determined lives of peace, dignity and social security, and democratically shaping social relationships. Fight for a society that can. To achieve this, we need another economic and social system: democratic socialism,” reads its manifesto.
Vanessa, 22, from Kassel Hessen, a central German city, told Al Jazeera that she voted for Dai Linke because she was “fearing fascists.”
“I’m very pleased that they had such success, but I don’t know what to think about Germany’s future,” she said.
Mitteregger said Die Linke has developed a strong presence on social media, including sites like Tiktok. Its new major co-preservation, Heidi Reichinnek, gave a speech to CDU party leader Merz, who went viral.
Still, Mitteregger found the surge in the left-wing of young voters “somewhat surprising.”
“The party is generally over-performing compared to the vote, and the party has been much better among young people four years ago,” he said.
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