German teenagers and young adults find themselves increasingly unsatisfied and likely to vote for the far right, according to a survey. Fears about prosperity are highlighted as a possible cause.

Young people are more likely to vote for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) than previously, a study on Tuesday showed.

Authors of the “Youth in Germany 2024” study said that under-30s were increasingly disgruntled with their social and economic situation, and that fears about future prosperity were driving a shift to the right.

The AfD’s signature issue is a hard-line anti-immigration stance, and the data showed that migration was among young people’s main concerns.

The online study, conducted in January and February, found that young people were becoming increasingly dissatisfied, especially with their social and economic situation, compared with previous years.

After the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the authors said economic and political worries for example due to inflation, high rents, the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East or the division of society had taken center stage.

  • withabeard@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    110
    arrow-down
    2
    ·
    8 months ago

    Young people were especially worried about:

    • inflation (65%),
    • expensive housing (54%),
    • poverty in old age (48%),
    • the division of society (49%)

    Aaah yes, that classical list of things that a fiscally right party would solve … </sarcasm>

    • volvoxvsmarla @lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      22
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      8 months ago

      Absolutely agree, but the reason why they turn to AFD is because they literally have no trust in any of the classical parties. I think it is more of a longing for an underdog or almost a poker move - just bet everything on that (unfortunately rather racist) card because maybe they’d change something. It’s already going down the drain if we continue the way we have continued for the past decades, so let’s try something very new. Maybe we will have luck in this Russian roulette.

      Now, this is stupid af. I would never in my mind consider AFD as an actual option. But for a lot of people it feels like this is the only Fuck You they can give the current government (I am including the CDU/CSU in this definition of “government” too).

      Basically all other parties are moderate-middle at this point. They have some small differences but none of them actually fight for the working class, for underprivileged people, and basically all young people know they are or will be underprivileged. Yes we have a left party called Die Linke, but they have been notoriously busy with themselves and a split because a big chunk of the party was circling around Sahra Wagenknecht who was very controversial and shared some far right ideals. Maybe they will get a grip of themselves and become “vote-able” again in the future. But honestly, I’m not sure they are really left either.

      When you basically vote for capitalism, either way, just in different shades, it feels like your vote does not matter. Desparte people turn to desperate and stupid measures.

      For real, we don’t have an actual, valid socialist party. I honestly wonder why. Most young people are so fed up with how things go. Yes we don’t want to work anymore. Why should we? To get fired at random when a company goal isn’t met? After we studied engineering for 8 years to get minimum wage +1€? To be part of a company that produces the 35th version of a shit emoji cushion, well knowing that we create a bullshit product that just unnecessarily wastes resources? So we can partake in killing the planet? So that we, after we have been fired for no reason, have to fight to collect unemployment for a short period of time, before we are being forced into a bullshit job under threats? So that we work full time until we are 70+ to hardly collect any retirement? When we have kids, we are supposed to not see them but give them to childcare asap to reenter the workforce. For all that bullshit. So I honestly wonder why there isn’t a real socialist alternative to the classical parties. I have a very big feeling that a lot of young people would gladly jump over.

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      7
      arrow-down
      8
      ·
      8 months ago

      Are German history classes shit? Do they not know what happened the last time a right winger got into power after inflation?

  • Starkstruck@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    18
    ·
    8 months ago

    Yeah, vote for the people who will make everything worse, that’ll really cure that pessimision.

  • T00l_shed@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    15
    ·
    8 months ago

    Can someone explain how voting for fascists would make it in any way shape or form better? Cause I don’t see it.

  • TheControlled@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    7
    ·
    8 months ago

    That’s literally every far right person. They sure as fuck are never optimistic besides maybe selfishly. I imagine this has been true forever.

  • Son_of_dad@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    18
    arrow-down
    12
    ·
    8 months ago

    I’m super left, almost anarchistic, radically left, after decades of seeing things get worse. But at times you go so far left that you disagree with other liberals, and their first response is “you’re a Maga conservative” just cause I didn’t agree with their elitist, college liberalism ideas that are all talk and ineffective.

    The way so many young liberals are becoming way more rude, aggressive. Elitist, and so hard headed that they won’t budge even an inch right or left on an issue is a huge turn off to most people. If someone to their right even so much as disagrees in a polite way, they get called names and insulted, instead of educated. No wonder so many young people just jump to the far right when they see how so many young liberals behave.

    I’m for sure gonna get dowvoted and called a conservative for calling out these young of privileged, college liberals who look down on everyone

    • CALIGVLA@lemmy.dbzer0.com
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      14
      arrow-down
      4
      ·
      8 months ago

      Nah man, I agree. Many liberals (especially young) have this mindset of punishing people for “wrongthinking” instead of educating and getting them on their side, that shit only further radicalizes moderate people into the polar opposite of what you want. I’ve had this discussion with people before and it seems a lot of people either have a hard time telling the difference between unwitting ignorance from acts of bad faith or they just don’t care at all and think anyone even a bit right from them needs to be in a shallow grave. I feel like this aggressive behavior is part of the problem of why so many people are getting “redpilled” into the far-right.

    • febra@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      8
      arrow-down
      4
      ·
      8 months ago

      There’s no way you call yourself “super left” or “radical left” and identify with the term “liberal”… Liberalism is the polar opposite of “radical left”

      • Son_of_dad@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        6
        arrow-down
        6
        ·
        edit-2
        8 months ago

        Jesus. This is exactly what I’m talking about. Is there a news letter or website that gives out the proper terms and most widely accepted labels, 2024 edition? I’ve been around long enough to see all these labels cycle through the mainstream lexicon. They mean something new every few years.

        But of course that’s what you wanna single out, the fact that I use different labels than you, therefore I couldn’t possibly be anything like you right? It’s like you people WANT division, tribalism and segregation. You actively seek out things to get upset and in a fight about, which is exactly what they want.

        • febra@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          4
          arrow-down
          4
          ·
          edit-2
          8 months ago

          Look mate, if you just said “I’m a democrat so I’m a liberal” I would’ve understood that. I’m not that nitpicky about it. But a self identifying “RADICAL LEFTIST” would absolutely never identify himself with the term “liberal”. Hell, radical leftists (and including the far left) use that term as an insult. Which of course raises some questions when you use it for yourself while also being “far left”. It makes it seem like you’re roleplaying the “radical leftist” role. Just my two cents, you do you.

          Also, no, “liberal” hasn’t changed definitions, ever. It was always the same thing: an adherent to liberalism. If you’re far left you’re a commie or an anarchist or whatever. Communism/Anarchism has nothing to do with Liberalism. They’re on different parts of the political spectrum. If you’re from the US I’ll make this easy for you: both democrats and republicans count as liberals. They’re both adherent parties to liberalism.

          That’s like claiming you’re a far right socialist lol

          • Son_of_dad@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            2
            arrow-down
            6
            ·
            8 months ago

            I’ve likely been around long before you, I’ve survived transform, I’ve been through war, I’ve survived anti Communist death squads, I’ve seen the jungles full of civilians fleeing capitalist bombs. don’t think you can educate me on the world.

            • febra@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              6
              arrow-down
              2
              ·
              edit-2
              8 months ago

              Then go take a political science class.

              https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberalism

              There is absolutely nothing to discuss here. This is not “the world”. This is political science. And it isn’t up for any weird debate. It’s a term written in countless research papers and field texts, and is not up for change due to whatever definition you guys happen to read in the news today.

              • Son_of_dad@lemmy.world
                link
                fedilink
                English
                arrow-up
                2
                arrow-down
                7
                ·
                8 months ago

                Whatever kid. Not everyone is a native English speaker, and not everyone is signed up to your own minds definition on things. You’re literally arguing about labels, that’s how I know you’re a child.

                • febra@lemmy.world
                  link
                  fedilink
                  English
                  arrow-up
                  3
                  arrow-down
                  2
                  ·
                  edit-2
                  8 months ago

                  You can go on as many ad hominem attacks as you like, that’s not going to make your points more correct. I’m not a kid and I’m definitely not a native English speaker.

    • SreudianFlip@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      4
      ·
      8 months ago

      People are so touchy about being judged, so ready to be insulted. It all works in favour of the authoritarians.

      Sure, we need to talk out the terms and agree on things, but that only works when people have open minds and critical thinking. In the meantime the epic struggle is between those who work, and those who own.

      All the quibbles about left and right, about borders and morality, about identity, is distraction from solving the problems of fundamental disparity.

      Basically, living in a kleptocracy sucks. Owners vs workers, authoritarians vs egalitarians: these are the real battles.

    • cygon@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      edit-2
      8 months ago

      elitist, college liberalism ideas

      liberals are becoming way more rude, aggressive. Elitist,

      young privileged, college liberals who look down on everyone

      That smells an awful lot like ring wing indoctrination 101:

      1. Restating several times to drive home the claim that liberals are elitist, aloof, rude, “looking down on everyone”
      2. Claiming “they” are being aggressive and nasty against super polite people only a little bit to the right
      3. Therefore joining the far right is a well-deserved act at getting back at these nasty liberals

      .

      You wrote two and a half paragraphs that are essentially just liberal bashing. My experience is that liberals are the people who don’t judge you for personal choices, who reach out a hand even if you’re worlds apart.

    • Aceticon@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      8 months ago

      Liberals aren’t Left since “everybody should be free to do what they want” is often incompatible with “we should have the best life possible for the greatest number”, especially when it comes to money, environmentalism, exploitation of others and so on.

      Worse, liberals aren’t even genuinelly pro freedom, as they don’t even try to begin addressing the power imbalances (read reduction of freedom of the many to increase freedom of a few) due to Wealth and Ownership.

      One wonders why exactly somebody created this heavilly hollowed derivative of the full fight for Equality that excludes everything to do with the inequality associated with Money and other society-wide forms of Powers, or in other words, the biggest part of societal inequality by quite a distance and the greatest forms of discrimination.

      Personally I have this theory that this stuff was created in American think tanks to pull people away from the real leftwing thinking: this pale imitation of pro-Equality stops people from fight for the full Equality (which would have put them against the Wealthy and other established powers) whilst still making them think they were fighting for people to be treated equally and thus making them feel like righteous combatants for good.

      As you’ve noticed, once indoctrinated most of those people will blindly and irrationally fight for it and never actually question the rationale of the elements of a political doctrine which has massive logic holes

  • Siegfried@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    5
    ·
    8 months ago

    This is kind of what happened in Argentina, and parties response to it just made everything worse.

  • dumpsterlid@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    16
    arrow-down
    11
    ·
    edit-2
    8 months ago

    I know I am throwing stones in glass houses because I am saying this as a person from the US, but wow Germany is a really scary country, it seems like the culture is always extremely primed to radicalize its young men into serious violence around an obsession with masculine and machine strength/purity.

    The US is a scarier country in most respects, and certainly has the same issue, but Germany is a much older culture and these brainworms seem to have ingrained deeper into their cultural mindset in some ways.

    Are leftist movements growing to a similar degree among young people in Germany?

    • Ekybio@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      21
      ·
      8 months ago

      There is currently a massive movement against the far-right in Germany

      Revently a meeting was leaked, where the AfD went just mask-out-the-window and openly talked about deportation (They call it “Remigration”) of German Citicens who are the children of immigrants.

      After that the vague threats to society have become tangible for a lot of people. Now an ever increasing ammount of the general public is turning against the AfD, who is further slipping into fascism as a reaction, prompting usuql fascist infighting and splitting.

      Unlike in the US our judicial system is not quite as bad, but, with all things German, burocratic processes are quite slow. Also a lot of parties dont want to cooperate with the AfD in any regard, even the center-right (CDU) is having issues.

      From the outside it looks bleaker then it is in reality, but the danger is still very real

    • Son_of_dad@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      4
      arrow-down
      10
      ·
      8 months ago

      Germany isn’t as progressive and nice as their PR department tells you. I got sick of hearing about how perfect Germany is for years, knowing it was all bullshit. They’re barely just now catching up on decriminalizing pot.

      • daellat@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        6
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        8 months ago

        I believe a part of their public admin is still in paper too? Not fully digital.

        Correct me if wrong

        • Son_of_dad@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          3
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          8 months ago

          Canada is this way too. I needed a new passport and it took 8 weeks of faxes, forms, mail in forms, visits to government offices where everything runs on paper.

          Meanwhile my cousin from Central America, went to his country’s government office, applied and walked out with a passport the same day and it was all done digitally.

          As a Canadian I’m appalled and how shit our outdated system is.