Lonely and disappointed: Why young people turn their back on democracy

Lonely and disappointed: Why young people turn their back on democracy

Loneliness among young people in Germany achieves alarming dimensions, which illustrates a current study by the Bertelsmann Foundation. According to the examination, 10% of 16- to 30-year-olds feel "strongly lonely", while 35% report "moderate loneliness". These feelings are closely linked to a general distrust of politics and the conviction that they cannot make changes. The study surveyed a total of 2,532 young people about their life satisfaction, feelings of loneliness and their political commitment. The dissatisfaction, which is accompanied by democracy in Germany, is particularly striking: 63% of very lonely young people are dissatisfied with democracy, compared to 41% in their non -lonely peers. This suggests that loneliness is not only an individual, but also a problem for society as a whole that urgently needs to be addressed in order to promote the political participation of young people. In addition, many lonely report that they feel overlooked by politics and 76% believe that politicians do not take the worries of their generation seriously.

In the study, an important distinction between emotional and social loneliness was made, which has different causes and effects. Emotional loneliness describes the lack of narrow caregivers, while social loneliness results from inadequate integration into social networks. Young people without employment are particularly affected, 75% of whom suffer from a strong feeling of loneliness. Young women between the ages of 16 and 24 are also disproportionately affected.

loneliness as a challenge for democracy

The consequences of loneliness could have profound effects on democratic culture. Experts warn that the alienation of the young generation of political processes could undermine trust in democracy and politics. According to the study, more than half of the highly lonely respondents believe that they cannot make any changes at the local level. The sociologist Alexander Langenkamp from the Goethe University Frankfurt states that loneliness increases the susceptibility to radical-populist theses, especially in people with negative political attitudes. This development could lead to further radicalization and endanger the stability of the political system.

Federal Minister of Family Affairs Lisa Paus initiated a week of action under the motto "Together from Loneliness" in order to draw attention to the topic. At an annual conference of the German Ethics Council, the increase in loneliness was discussed as a critical social problem that undermines political and social participation. Corona pandemic has further exacerbated the situation and pushed a large number of young people to the brim.

political participation as a solution

The study also shows that political engagement can work as a prevention against social loneliness. Young people who participate politically often experience a feeling of recognition and social belonging. This could be crucial to regain trust in the political institutions and to promote interest in democracy. The need for low -threshold offers for political participation, both analogously and digitally, is considered essential by experts.