Majority of Germans back youth demonstrations: Poll

A large majority of Germans support recent youth protests over underfunded schools, high housing costs and rising living expenses, according to a poll released late Thursday.

The representative survey for public broadcaster ARD found that 82% of Germans agreed that mainstream politics neglects young people. Nine in 10 respondents viewed participation in demonstrations as a justified way to express a political view, though roughly two-thirds opposed road blockades.

The findings come after tens of thousands of young people answered a call from the “Gen Z regelt” initiative and demonstrated in more than 30 cities over the weekend. Another protest day is already set for Nov. 20.

Organizers demand more public funds for education, affordable housing, social justice and climate protection and oppose plans for reintroducing military conscription.

The broad public sympathy for the protests coincides with deepening alienation among younger voters from the parties in power. The poll showed that 18- to 34-year-olds have drifted further away from Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s center-right CDU/CSU alliance and its center-left Social Democrat coalition partner, turning instead toward parties at the political extremes.

Among this age group, the socialist Left Party (29%) and the anti-immigrant, right-wing AfD (21%) are trusted most to address youth issues. The environmentalist Greens scored 12%, while Merz’s conservative CDU/CSU alliance stood at 5% and the SPD at 3%.