Youth policy | Talked past each other

The message is clear. But the federal government has not yet responded to this. Photo: dpa/Pia Bayer The reaction proves how justified the young people's criticism of government policy is. After the youth protests, Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) defamed the demonstrators across the board. He spoke of leftists and “migrant chaotics” who had hijacked demonstrations. Even Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) then called for verbal disarmament. We must finally stop referring to children who were born here and have German citizenship as migrants. In doing so, he raised an important point. But that's far from the only one.

The grievances that have driven tens of thousands of young people onto the streets nationwide must urgently be addressed. You belong to the Corona generation, which was largely left alone to deal with the consequences of the pandemic. First the politicians closed the schools, later they were unable to organize catch-up programs. Not even the school buildings are being repaired. And outside of the big cities, local public transport is usually only rudimentary - young people in particular rely on it.

You experience one system failure after another. Even the simplest things don't work. At the same time, they live in a highly complex, high-tech age whose rapid development is accompanied by massive environmental destruction. This discrepancy between everyday backwardness and technological high modernity is difficult to understand.

At the same time, young people at school grow up in a performance society that suggests to them that everyone can achieve a good qualification and that this will open up all the possibilities. In fact, this is mainly achieved by the privileged who have the necessary family support and resources. This creates frustration and resentment. In such a situation, an interior minister who tries to divide the young people apart - into leftists, migrants and those who have a legitimate interest in demonstrating - is of little help.

One thing is particularly important: that the young generation has a future. After all, the minister responsible for youth, Karin Prien (CDU), sees the need for exchange and is planning a meeting with the Federal Student Conference. But Prien is also in justification mode and is trying to sell some of the federal government's progressive approaches, such as the Start Opportunities program for schools, as comprehensive successes. The demonstrations at the weekend made it clear that this is not enough. The federal government too rarely thinks about young people, either in education or in family and social policy. She has to change that, and she has to change it now.

Other media have corporations or billionaires behind them. We have the nd.Genossenschaft and readers like you. That makes us independent and that’s exactly how we want to remain. But it also means: without you the calculation won't work. We need 300,000 euros by the end of the year.

You can donate directly here, one-time or regularly, so that nd stays.