Berlin:
As Germany heads to vote this Sunday, Gen Z is increasingly favouring the Right. Till as recently as 2021, many young German voters were seen supporting environmental protection and social justice causes, but that has changed dramatically in the last few years.
The war in Ukraine, a surge in migration, and a tanking economy and some of the leading reasons for a shift in outlook for young voters.
Germany’s right-of-centre political landscape comprises of the moderates or conservatives, who support the CDU/CSU – currently the second-largest party, and the far-right AfD, which is gaining ground in the eastern region.
The CDU/CSU are focusing their priorities to more pressing issues in Germany like immigration and the economy, while moderate parties are investing more on climate policies and welfare policies.
Unlike their parents, who have their loyalties to political parties, Germany’s Gen Z voters are more flexible in terms of their vote, and are keenly looking out for what suits their immediate needs.
The Greens were the top party for 18-24 year olds in Germany’s 2021 elections, at a time when the Fridays for Future movement drew many thousands onto the streets. But the Greens, who have championed Germany’s often bumpy green energy transition and support a diverse, more multicultural society, have lost ground on a backlash for the exact same reasons.
As the rest of Europe is also leaning Right, immigration seems to be a major issue – something the left-leaning parties cannot part with in terms of a more liberal ideology. If last year’s European elections are any indication – the CDU/CSU alliance emerged the most popular among young German voters, followed by the far-right AfD.
With days to go for the election, several surveys have highlighted a rightward shift among Germany’s Gen Z voters.
Gen Z is generally recognised as the generation which is born between 1997 and 2012, many of whom attained the right to vote for the first time in their lives. Analysts believe that Gen Z voters worry less about the far-right AfD as Generation Z does not have the same relationship to World War II and its fallout as their previous few generations.
While right-wing political party CDU/CSU has the western regions of Germany as its stronghold, the far-right AfD has made significant inroads in east Germany. In three eastern regional elections last year, the AfD made strong gains among the 18-24 age group, especially at the expense of the Greens, polling institute infratest dimap found in its research.
Social media platforms, especially TikTok, has also played a major role in shaping the narrative in the German elections. It has also had an impact on the ideologies of young Germans. Both far-right AfD and the far-left Die Linke have successfully rallied support on social media platforms, though leaving Germany vastly polarised and divided in its views.
The most recent opinion polls reveal that around 30 per cent of German voters across all ages groups are still undecided about this week’s election. This voter base might hold the key to who wins the election in Germany.
(Inputs from AFP)
