Demography Against Democracy

Do new voters have the chance to realise their interests politically?

Even if I'd very much like to say “but”, the most honest answer is “yo”. Germany places the oldest portion of the country's future as well as Sunday's elections. Their demographic authority is oppressive: According to official statistics in Germany, 57 percent of the eligible ones are older than 50; voters under 30 are only 14.4 percent of the electorate.

Not only voters have a kind of age, but politicians are not young. In the current Bundestag, only three out of 709 deputies are under 30. You can turn it around and turn it back like you want: in Germany the interests of new voters have no chance without old people being supported. This is reflected in the most important issue for young people - climate protection. According to polls, the old generation's support for the subject is not the same. According to Germany's train survey (Deutschland Trend), a majority of Germans, 81 percent, say that it is very necessary to act on climate protection, while in a representative survey ordered by the nature protection association, NABU (from July to August), only 30 percent of people over 50 years of age in their decision for the party to vote also take into account the new generation's <x0-second interest in climate protection and nature. ”

In these elections, the oldest politician from all candidates for Chancellors will probably have the chance to set new milestones for change. Olaf Scholz, current finance minister and Social Democrat born in 1968, wants to form a coalition with the Green and advance climate change.

Men's influence is a factor that links Germany to many countries. In the United States, Joe Biden (78 years old) entered the White House. In Brazil, two elderly men will run in next year in the presidential election, Jair Bolsonaro (66) and former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (75).

Even if all parties want to attract new voters, in turn they show caution not to intimidate senior voters. The Chancellor's candidate, Olaf Scholz, even at one of his election exits went so far that he imitated Merkel's famous Roma, the way he holds his hands to allude with this continuity.

Demographic development imposes democracy on its rules. Even in political formation, the old generation has great influence on young people. Theoretically, by their vote they could also support the decision to vote for grandchildren and thus limit their demographic supremacy. In practice this remains an illusion. But the danger that the need for stability can become stagnation is not illusion. / DW/