Does Germany's aging population impede real political change? | DW Analysis

Almost 60% of voters in the upcoming elections are older than 50 years.
A quarter even over 60. Getting the so-called 'baby boomer' generation on board is essential to succeed Angela Merkel as German chancellor. Even the Greens know that. Young voters on the other hand are a minority in this election - even though the outcome of this vote will affect them the most. During the coronavirus pandemic the young showed solidarity with the old - staying at home, sacrificing education and many other parts of their social life. The big question is how far this solidarity will go in the other direction in this vital election especially when it comes to topics such as climate change.

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[Dash]

Technically here in Britain you'd be hard pressed to find anyone under 35 who approves of the current government, so it aint only Germany. Pensioners are the most powerful demographic in Western politics, and as younger generations become more politically active and the ideological gap widens it becomes more glaring.

[womblytenrecpetit]

As if Climate change is the only issue young people have
Look at the poor employment, funding pensions, housing costs etc

[Ass_of_Amalek]

I like the scary montages of boomers on sight-seeing tours.

[davidrele]

It's funny, all over the world the old generations don't really care about the climate. But to be fair, they don't have to live through the consequences.

[WikiTicky]

Public policy is often voted on how it impacts "me" today. But never evaluated on how it impacts others a few years later. Ooh wee law now allows a 2% down payment instead of 20% - I qualify now - this benefits me - the system works... buys a house because has 2% at the moment - real estate blows up in value because many people now qualify for more. Just a few years later those who got to ride the asset train are very happy; but, those who were in school or still early in their careers are now locked out of purchasing a home. Policies impact the now... and the later.

[zeanamush]

A lot of countries are like this. I can't wait to see which one will go too far to try to eliminate it.

[augustus]

In the Netherlands, we have the same situation.
The old generation doesn't want to pay for climate change to not change their economic comfort, even though the older generation has had it much easier than the current generation under 40 years old.

[kyleklingebeil]

“You shouldn’t be able to order for the table when you are about to leave the restaurant” -John Mulaney

[leooel]

I believe at some point, say at age 70, a couple of years into retirement, people should no longer be allowed to vote. They have no longer skin in the game, and if children below 18 can't vote, I don't see a democratic issue with people over 70 not voting.

[fidomusic]

I live in Japan where this aging situation is even more extreme. In addition, the young don't vote, and the older population who do vote are more conservative.

[cjoutright]

“Politics isn’t about finding majorities, but about fighting for majorities”

Love this.

[luisasventa]

Luisa Neubauer, really ? She never worked a DAY in her life, she does NOT speak for me as a young German woman. Get yourself someone who works please..

[JohnyVman]

Well you can't expect prices to rise and salaries remaining the same and not having an issue.

[heytony]

I think a failure here is that the German government never sold the economical benefit of going green to the older generations. I’m not sure if the younger generations get all the economical challenges involved, probably not, but there is money to be made by going green economically (energy, digitalization, eco-tourism) yet Germany needs to work with the world here to make that happened for everyone.

[mitre]

I am a young german myself and I can’t hear that boomer blaming anymore. Of course people of different ages, ethnic etc. backgrounds vote differently. But that’s how democracy works: every person got one vote. If the greens fail to convince the older generation that is their fault and no one else’s…
But this constant blaming and finger pointing (identity politics, age blaming etc.) will not get us anywhere.

[ClearerThanMud]

@19:10 I could be retired and on social security (US), but with so many people unable to work I decided to take a job again (remote) and pay a bunch of taxes. What's left after taxes will go to charities eventually. It bothers me that my generation piled up a lot of debt and failed to address climate change, creating big challenges for future generations. Let's help them!

[vigfhfc]

The older generation destroyed this planet and economy and doesn't want anything to do about it either. The younger generation can expect to have difficult lives because of old people's ignorance and greed.

[ericpoeperic]

3 or 4% annual pension rises? In the US it's calculated using means testing and usually raises between 1-2% annually. They are talking about a 6% increase this year. Our pension scheme is 13 years away from having to reduce payouts to stay solvent. I think the social security tax cap is at 120, 000 dollars (if you make more than 120, 000 you don't have to pay any more tax) which means the system is subsidizing richer pensioners (that usually have other investment and retirement plans) at the cost of the ones only getting $794.00 a month. We should remove the social security tax cap to get more money for the fund. If my grandma could afford a flat 6.75% pension tax the rich people can too!

[badrinarayan]

This explains so many global phenomena.

[PaulHeinrichs]

Wise will be those who plant trees under whose shade they will never sit