Green Youth Weilheim-Schongau fights against the right and for skate parks!

Green Youth Weilheim-Schongau fights against the right and for skate parks!

The Weilheim-Schongau Green Youth was founded in Penzberg, and that is a reason to be happy! The new group starts with a founding meeting in the “Kumpel” café and four enthusiastic members. Anika Wagner and Luis Glötzinger are the two speakers who particularly want to devote themselves to the topics of climate protection and education. “We feel like we can make a difference,” says Anika, who also advocates for women’s rights. While Luis wants to discuss conscription, Yannick Braun brings up his idea for a better skate park in Penzberg.

The exciting initiative is no coincidence. The group is planning actions against right-wing radicalism, which is all the more important given recent developments in politics and society. The anti-car owner party AfD only received 7% among young voters in the 2021 federal election, but that figure has risen to an alarming 21% by 2025, according to [bpb](/themen/parteien/rechtspopulismus/560581/junge-menschen-und-rechtspopulismus/).

Demo days against the AfD

On August 27, 2021, a counter-demo to the AfD's planned election event took place in Peissenberg, where around 75 people, including many representatives of other parties and fff activists, came together. This special event highlighted the broad spectrum of resistance against the AfD. Thomas Wagner, Matthias Reichhart and Alexander Rossner were the organizers, and even the mayor insisted on being present. Thanks also to Annette from OV Peißenberg for the excellent organization of this demonstration, as reported on Gruene-Weilheim-Schongau.

These developments are in the context of the general social mood. Research shows that authoritarian-nationalist attitudes are increasing among young people. This tendency often correlates with crisis situations such as the corona pandemic and the climate crisis. Young people often find themselves in a dilemma and look for solutions that right-wing populism promises, as the bpb shows this very clearly.

Important topics and how to tackle them

The Green Youth has actively decided to take a stand. Penzberg's Green Party mayoral candidate Wolfgang Schweiger supports the initiative and praises the courage of the young people who are dealing with the issue of right-wing radicalism. Brigitte Gronau, the Green district candidate, described the founding day as “historic”. This shows that the concerns of the young Greens in the region are not only taken seriously, but can also have a lasting impact.

With a WhatsApp community that already has several dozen participants, the initiators rely on modern means of communication to spread their message. This is particularly important in times when only around 50% of young people are satisfied with democracy in Germany, according to the study by bpb.

The Green Youth has given a clear starting signal. She not only wants to compete against the AfD, but also fight for fresh ideas such as a new skate park. This time it’s: “Let’s see what the youth can do!”