Youth in Stuttgart: Concerns about democracy and political participation!

Youth in Stuttgart: Concerns about democracy and political participation!

The Baden-Württemberg State Youth Conference took place in Stuttgart on July 15, 2025. Over 500 young people from all parts of the state came together to discuss topics that are close to their hearts. The conference offered participants the opportunity to pass on their concerns, wishes and ideas directly to state politicians. Politicians present included Education Minister Theresa Schopper, Social Affairs Minister Manfred Lucha and Environment Minister Thekla Walker, all members of the Green Party.
Abdi Ahmed, who is 18 years old, is involved in both the Jusos and the youth local council. He is also the first state chairman of the newly founded state youth advisory board. A central concern of Ahmed is the discussion about democracy and the necessary protection of it, especially in view of the worrying developments towards a shift to the right in society. He emphasizes the importance of hearing the voices of young people and calls for more formats for youth participation.

Concern about the state of democracy in Germany was shared by many participants. A youth study by the University of Stuttgart, which was carried out on behalf of the Ministry of Culture, shows that interest in politics among 14 to 17 year olds is decreasing. Around 2,000 ninth graders were surveyed, and the results paint a worrying picture of satisfaction with democracy among this age group. Political scientist André Bächter emphasizes the importance of personal contacts between young people and politicians, while town hall debates are highlighted as valuable formats for dialogue on equal terms.

Growing interest in youth participation

Fortunately, the commitment of young people in Baden-Württemberg has grown in recent years. Since 2015, children and young people have had a say in decisions that directly affect them. This is also proven by the results of the study “Municipal child and youth participation in Baden-Württemberg 2023”. According to this study, the number of municipalities with youth participation programs increased from 53% in 2018 to 68% in 2024. The increase in child participation in particular is significant: from 23% to over 55%.
The forms of child and youth participation are diverse and range from representative representations such as youth local councils and youth parliaments to open formats such as youth hearings and youth forums that enable direct dialogue. These developments are of great importance for the democratization of municipal processes in Baden-Württemberg.

Theresa Schopper, the Minister of Education, expressed appreciation for the courage of the young people to express their opinions. Their concerns about the state of democracy are strongly supported by the feedback from young people. In this respect, the State Youth Conference is a valuable step towards better understanding the fears and concerns of young people and incorporating them into political decision-making processes.