How did young Germans vote in the 2021 Bundestag elections?
Much has already been written about how young people voted in the 2021 federal election: about climate youth, the Greens’ role as favourites among young people, the influence of social media on the election campaign and the unexpected electoral success of the FDP among the youngest voters?
But what is the truth behind such sweeping statements about ‘young people’ in Germany and their voting behaviour? What motivated different young people to vote in the 2021 Bundestag elections? What issues were important to different young people during the election campaign? What influence did the candidates, the party programmes and the media really have on the voting decisions of the youngest voters? And how much weight do young voters still have in an ageing German society?
We analysed these questions on behalf of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung and provide answers in five different articles on how young people voted in the 2021 Bundestag elections, what was important to them during the election campaign and what motivated them to cast their vote.