Following significant electoral losses among younger voters, the Green Youth has sharply criticized its own party for making strategic errors. Luis Bobga, the national spokesperson for the Green Youth, told the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” that the Green Party lacks clarity on issues that decide the ballot for young voters. He pointed out that the Greens have failed to provide clear solutions regarding affordable rents, a stance on compulsory military service, or a subsidized local public transport ticket. Bobga emphasized that “you cannot win elections like this.”
The party youth is strongly criticizing the Greens for not taking their warnings seriously. “In meetings over the past weeks, I have heard incredibly often: We lost with young voters. What do we do now?” continued the Green Youth leader. He felt that the party was “in the wrong film.” Two years prior, the then-Green Youth executive board had already stepped down due to the failure of a successful campaign, urging changes within the party. Bobga stated that this call for change was neither seriously addressed nor processed at the time, nor is it being dealt with in certain sections of the party today. This concern is echoed by political scientists, who also see a future problem for the Greens. Wolfgang Schroeder, a professor at the Berlin Social Science Center (WZB), told the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” that the Red Alert bells must ring at the Greens if large numbers of young voters begin to leave the party.
The youth organization is now demanding a “Youth Offensive.” They insist that the substance of their party’s policies must be fundamentally changed. This requires not only a nationwide rent cap but also a plan to more heavily tax large fortunes. Bobga added: “Of course, we are not talking about inherited family houses. But we must also tackle tens of millions of euros.” Furthermore, the Green Youth wants to advocate for a price ceiling on basic foodstuffs. “This is a measure that directly benefits many people,” he argued. “Everyone notices that basic supply in the supermarket is becoming more expensive. We could show that we are the party focused on lowering this burden.”
