Germany: Politically-disillusioned youth? Far from it!

DW (English)

Many young people in Germany believe democracy in their country is under threat and don't feel represented by the government. Samira Ghandour and Can Aru from Berlin are both politically active. What drives them, and what are their goals?

Transcript

00:00Berlin, at the end of May, thousands of young people are demonstrating for more climate

00:11protection with the youth organization Fridays for Future.

00:15On this specific Friday, 100,000 people take part across Germany, including 19-year-old

00:21Samira Ghandour.

00:24The demonstration has been in full swing since about 12 noon, and we're now walking loudly

00:28through the government district.

00:30Climate protection and democracy only work hand-in-hand.

00:35Samira and the others feel that they are not being heard by those in power, that their

00:39interests are not adequately represented.

00:42So they want to help shape democracy.

00:44A new study shows that many young people in Europe believe democracy is in danger, all

00:49the more reason for Samira to get involved.

00:53She's not happy with the political situation.

00:55The climate crisis motivated her to become politically active.

00:59She's been involved with Fridays for Future for five years now, since she was 14.

01:05These days, she not only participates, but also organizes protests.

01:10This park in Berlin's Treptow district has special significance for her.

01:15The Island of Youth behind the bridge is a place I used to go with my friends to chill.

01:19It's where I became more politicized.

01:25Climate protection is no picnic.

01:27That's what's written on the poster that she made for the protest.

01:30It all began back when she was in school.

01:33I went with my class to my first demonstration because my teachers motivated me.

01:37Then I realized how extreme climate change is, and that we really have to do something.

01:42I still feel that way, so I'm on the streets with Fridays for Future.

01:47For Can Aru, it also began with protests.

01:50The 23-year-old has been involved with the Green Party for three years.

01:54Instead of complaining about things he didn't like, he decided he needed to take action.

01:59He wanted to make a difference in his neighborhood, in Berlin's Pankow district.

02:03For Can Aru, democracy means getting involved.

02:08This year, he's standing for election in his district for the first time.

02:15Young people, especially because they're starting to build a life, if you listen to them, you'd

02:19realize that their ideas are very similar to the ideas that older people have.

02:23It would be good for politics at all levels to bring them together and compare the ideas.

02:29As a Green candidate, he doesn't have it easy in his district.

02:33Time and again, he says, he's received insults, threats or attacks.

02:37Aru's grandparents came to Germany from Turkey decades ago.

02:41He has a lot of experience with racism, which is also why he stands up for people with a

02:45migration background.

02:48It's really important that people are heard and seen and represented, especially if, which

02:54is not the case for me, but especially if they have a visible history of migration.

02:59Racism and xenophobia are totally present in this society, and those with a different

03:03skin color experience racism every day.

03:06It's super important that this be made public and that people realize it's not okay.

03:11He also went into politics because he's concerned about the future of his generation in these

03:15times of war and climate crisis.

03:18Especially with regard to climate change, young people need a perspective and people

03:23who represent them.

03:26Young people, with everything that faces them, are not represented at all, especially in

03:31European politics, starting with the topic of climate change.

03:35And so the young have to somehow bring all these issues into politics, as they are much

03:39more affected by them because they will, hopefully, be on this planet for a very long time.

03:48The Fridays for Future movement has already achieved a lot.

03:51Climate protection has long been one of the top issues on the political agenda.

03:56Samira believes all the effort has been worth it.

04:02I've actually given up a lot of my free time, a lot of my hobbies, but 2019 was a different

04:06time when people weren't really that aware of the climate crisis, and we managed to get

04:11the climate discussion going.

04:13Today we're standing here with so many people, and I'm just very, very grateful that everyone

04:17is prepared to protest.

04:20Whether as demonstrators on the streets or actively involved in politics, Can Aru, Samira

04:25Gandour and other protesters have already made a difference.

04:29They believe that those who want to protect democracy need to give young people a louder

04:33voice in the future.

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