Cem Özdemir, the leading Green candidate for the Baden‑Württemberg state election, said that a victory would trigger a ban on mobile phones across all schools.
During a Thursday evening discussion with students at an event hosted by the “Mannheimer Morgen”, he added, “Then we would achieve equality among schools”. He also welcomed the idea of a social‑media ban for children and adolescents under 16, noting that such a measure would require a European‑wide regulation and urging the German federal government to lobby for it in Brussels.
Özdemir, who trained as a social pedagogue, warned about the harmful effects of premature social‑media use on children’s development. “We must stop blaming tech giants for the exploitation of our youngsters” he said. He stressed that schools should focus on basic skills, such as reading competence, to provide children with essential foundations.
