AFP :
For millions of young Germans, Chancellor Angela Merkel is the only leader they have known, a beacon of stability in a world plagued by uncertainties. But as her 16-year tenure comes to end, some say her slowly-slowly approach stymied progress on burning issues such as climate protection and the digital race.
Voters under the age of 30 make up 14 percent of the electorate in Germany, which goes to the polls on Sunday. Eager to see change on climate issues, many are shunning her Christian Democrats (CDU) party in favour of the Greens. Some accuse the old-guard parties-like the CDU or the centre-left Social
Democrats-of failing to bring about meaningful change.
“She has completely failed on digitalisation, the climate crisis has worsened, the gap between rich and poor has widened and she has done nothing about inequality of opportunity in schools,” said Christophe Dierckx, a 27- year-old entrepreneur from Frankfurt.
He added that Merkel has largely ignored his generation and their future, practising conservative politics “at its worst”. He’s not the only young person to feel sidelined. Merkel’s CDU policies are “mostly aimed at older people”, Kaan Ogurlu, a 19-year-old Berlin law student, said.
A youth-led movement has in recent years made a vocal push for Merkel’s government to step up climate protection, protesting on Fridays in school strikes inspired by Swedish activist Greta Thunberg. Young activists have also taken the government to court to force it to improve environmental targets.
