Getting Young Germans Into Politics

It was not difficult to pick out Ole Erdmann out of the small group seated around two tables in Bonn's Cafe Nyx. The university student is animated and emanates an air of authority. Most importantly, he exudes optimism, something he and his cohorts in the Young Socialists (Jusos), the youth fraction of chancellor Gerhard Schröder's Social Democrats (SPD), need.

The defeat of the SPD in state elections in North-Rhine Westphalia (NRW) on May 22 -- after 39 years of rule -- sent shock waves throughout the Jusos in all of NRW. A positive spin had to be found.

"On election evening, four or five people joined," said Erdmann (photo). They will need the new manpower. Nine lost state elections in a row like the Social Democrats have suffered does not exactly stir up cheerfulness and enthusiasm.

"You have to bring a lot of idealism with you," said Katrin Bierwirt who has been a Juso member for six years. A time where she has watched a slow, steady decline of the party's popularity across the country despite it being in power in Berlin. With the exception of Schröder's reelection in 2002, victory parties for the SPD have been far and few between.

Unemployment, tuition worries

The most recent unemployment benefits laws, particularly Hartz IV, named after Peter Hartz, the man who helped draw up the legislation and who also is head of personnel at VW, are reason for concern with the Jusos. Up until the late 1990's, Germany's welfare and unemployment recipients lived relatively secure lives. The sagging economy and huge federal deficits since then have caused the center-left government in Berlin to make harsh cuts. Having no job is no longer an option, at least that's the word from Berlin.

"If someone graduates from university and isn't sure he'll find a job," explained Erdmann, "and then is sitting on college tuition debts, which is what the opposition is promoting, then things will be a lot worse. Hartz IV is a huge problem."

Yet the Jusos aren't expecting to see any changes within the labor market. The Hartz laws are fully embedded in Schröder's "Agenda 2010" which is supposed to reform the German labor market and result in a stronger German economy.

Where they now will see changes is in the university system.

CDU youth for tuition

Before being elected in May, the CDU in NRW pledged to introduce tuition fees at the state's universities. Albeit they are planning a modest 500 euro per semester fee, the Junge Union (JU), the group for those under 35 in the CDU but predominantly made up of students, thinks the move is long overdue. German universities suffer from overcrowding and underfunding.

"The fact that we won the state election means that tuition will be introduced at universities in NRW," said Hans-Peter Bröhl, head of the Cologne JU. "There should be tuition for the duration of studies and repayment would start once the graduate found a job."

Continue reading to find out more about the views of young Germany.

While the Cologne JU is on the same wavelength with the party on the question of tuition fees, they do clash on other subjects. One burning issue for Cologne according to Bröhl is urban flight. Young families are leaving Cologne to the suburbs yet then commute to the city to work. In other words, they are taking advantage of the city's infrastructure without having to pay for it.

"It's my opinion that tax exemptions for commuting to work should be abolished," he explained. But the NRW JU, dominated primarily by groups from the bedroom communities, is in favor of keeping the tax break according to Bröhl.

That may be a small chink in the Cologne JU's armor, but the group is proud of recent successes. In the last three years, membership has doubled. Bröhl pointed out that online interest is rising steadily. But not everyone feels compelled to join a political party to be politically active.

Reaching out

The Federal Center for Political Education (BPB) in Bonn acts an outpost to help young and old alike inform themselves more about how they can more influence the political scene. In the 1960's and 70's, students for the most part, directed their activism towards political institutions. Yet this is no longer the case.

"You can't say that young people have given up being politically active," BPB president Thomas Krüger said. "Activism is not directed at the institutions, let alone the parties. It's project-based. Young people are interested in particular subjects such as the environment or globalization. Research shows that subject-oriented activism is widespread, but with a much less parliamentary aspect. That is what people have to understand as being politically active today."

Krüger grew up in communist East Germany and believes the pursuit of democracy is important despite its shortcomings. Political education must be an individual pursuit. Young people should take anything that smacks of indoctrination, political parties included, with a grain of salt. Krüger is absolutely convinced that credibility is the decisive characteristic that today's youth feel is lacking in politics.

Teenagers and those in their 20's can move things politically. Party politics is one way but as Krüger puts it, society and democracy has come to a point, where a different kind of "political being" exists and has to be further cultivated.