Study: Many young voters are afraid of the Greens

Many first-time voters perceive the Greens as a threat, according to a study by generational researchers. In a survey conducted by the Institute for Generational Research, 25 percent of respondents in the West and 30 percent in the East stated that the party frightened them. It is sometimes portrayed as extremist and a party to be banned, said Rüdiger Maas, founder of the institute. According to the survey, only the fear of the AfD was greater, with 65% in the East and 74% in the West.

"Young people now have real fears of political parties. And it's not just in the direction of the AfD, but also in other directions. That was a new picture for us," said Maas. In direct conversations with young people, for example, reference is often made to videos on social media that are supposed to show how dangerous the Greens are. In the European elections, the party had already lost considerable favor among young voters and only achieved eleven percent among 16 to 24-year-olds.

Shortly before the state elections in Thuringia and Saxony, researchers from the Augsburg Institute presented a study on youth voting behavior. They surveyed 870 people between the ages of 16 and 25 across Germany on a representative basis. In addition, 132 interviews were conducted with young people.

Tolerance towards voting decisions

In the direct interviews, it also became clear to the researchers that despite the fears, there is also a tolerance towards the voting decisions of other young voters - even if they vote AfD and vice versa. "They then say: that's my brother and that remains my brother, even if he votes left," said Maas. The classic left-right division is becoming less important: around one in four people reject it.

In addition, around 41% of respondents agreed with the statement that the government does not care about ordinary people. Around one in three had the impression that the government was working against the people. Migration was named as the most important problem, regardless of party preference. Right-wing extremism and climate change followed in second place.