, Columnist
Merz’s German Boomers Ignore Gen Z at Their Peril
In an aging and politically fragmented Germany, the young deserve a fairer deal.
Friedrich Merz.
Photographer: Sean Gallup/Getty Images EuropeThis article is for subscribers only.
The promise of 69-year-old chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz to promote the welfare of all Germans is falling on deaf ears among justifiably skeptical young people.
In February’s national elections, the youth vote skewed heavily towards radical parties, including the far-right Alternative for Germany and the Left, whereas Merz’s Christian Democrats and their coalition partners, the Social Democrats, were favored more by older voters who greatly outnumber the young. (Fewer than 15% of voters are under the age of 30, whereas nearly 60% are over 50.)