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Male surplus in Brandenburg: Where women are missing and the AfD benefits!
In Brandenburg, many young women leave the rural regions, which leads to a surplus of men. Causes, consequences and solutions are analyzed.
Male surplus in Brandenburg: Where women are missing and the AfD benefits!
The demographic change in Brandenburg is causing a stir and raising questions: Why are so many young women moving from rural regions? A current analysis shows that young women in particular leave Brandenburg behind after school, which leads to a significant surplus of men in many communities. Data from maz-online.de show that more than 40 of the 413 municipalities in Brandenburg have a proportion of women aged less than 40% among 18 to 29 year olds. An example is the Prignitz community of Lenzerwische, where only 20% of women in the 18 to 19 age group lived in 2022.
How does this imbalance come about? According to Dr. Katja Salomo, sociologist at the Science Center for Social Research, believes the reason for this is, among other things, the limited range of work and study programs in the region. Prospects are often better in the West, which not only offers better salaries but also a wider range of jobs. Women in particular, who often work in service jobs, feel disadvantaged in this country and prefer the urbanity of the West, where they can more easily find partners and start families.
Emigration in numbers
A look at the numbers shows: In 2023, a net 7,100 people between the ages of 18 and 29 migrated from the eastern German federal states, most of them to the west. The emigration was particularly strong between 2000 and 2005, when many young, well-educated people, including many women, left their homeland. In total, around 727,000 young people have moved from the East to the West since 1991, which has had a massive impact on the structure of rural communities destatis.de reported.
The economic situation in rural regions contributes to the problem. High unemployment and a lack of attractive jobs make it difficult to retain young women and men in the region. In order to counteract this, rural areas in particular would have to be made more family-friendly and mobility and cultural offerings would have to be significantly improved.
Social aspects and political consequences
A particularly critical problem is the connection between the surplus of men and the rise of the AfD in rural areas. Regions with a high shortage of women often experienced a rise in right-wing populist tendencies and an increase in attacks on refugee accommodation. Dissatisfaction with the departure of young people and the dismantling of infrastructure is being cleverly exploited by political parties, particularly the AfD, in order to win votes. How rbb24.de reported that they use people's fears to place populist messages.
In order to break this vicious circle, targeted political measures are required. Taking into account the specific needs of women in these regions could help stop migration and restore social balance. Suggestions include, among other things, improving childcare, expanding training positions and promoting women in political office.
Demographic change is a challenge that not only affects Brandenburg, but also many rural areas in eastern Germany. The discussion about solutions will certainly continue to gain momentum, because the need is not just about numbers, but above all about the people who live in these regions.