Poll: The majority of Germans understand the “Generation Z” protests... and the authorities are monitoring the dangers of extremism

A new opinion poll showed that the majority of Germans view positively the youth protests called for by the “GenZ regelt” initiative, which are scheduled to be organized nationwide the day after tomorrow, Saturday (October 31), at a time when the organizing authorities confirm their adherence to the peaceful approach, while the security authorities are monitoring any possible attempts to exploit the demonstrations by extremist groups.

According to the results of a representative poll conducted by the YouGov Institute for Opinion Research, 54% of participants considered the protests “fully justified” or “somewhat justified,” compared to 28% who saw them as “somewhat unjustified” or “not justified at all.”

As for the remaining 18% of participants, they answered “I don’t know” or refrained from expressing a clear position on the upcoming protests.

The "Generation Z Take Control" initiative is preparing to organize demonstrations in about 30 German cities on Saturday, inspired by youth protests witnessed in France and other European countries over the past weeks.

The protesters raise demands related to improving the education system, providing affordable housing, and improving services for youth. They also oppose the reintroduction of compulsory conscription and austerity policies, which they see as placing additional burdens on younger generations.

Protest organizers have repeatedly stressed their rejection of violence and their adherence to the peaceful nature of the demonstrations.

The opinion poll revealed a relatively pessimistic view towards the conditions of the younger generations in Germany. 38% of participants believed that the lives of young people today have become more difficult than they were ten years ago, either “to some extent” or “to a great extent.”

On the other hand, 29% considered that the challenges and opportunities faced by young people have not changed fundamentally over the past decade, while 22% said that the conditions of young people’s lives have become easier than they were previously.

As for 13%, they did not provide a specific answer or chose the “I don’t know” option.

The survey, which was conducted last Wednesday, included 4,259 people aged 18 years and over in various parts of Germany, and the institute indicated that the results were subject to statistical weighting to reflect the demographic composition of the target group.

Despite the organizers' emphasis on the peaceful nature of the movements, the security authorities are closely following developments for fear that the protests will be exploited by extremist movements.

The German Interior Ministry said that it currently has no concrete indications of calls or plans for violence related to the demonstrations scheduled for Saturday, and that the federal security services do not have additional information regarding preparations for riots.

However, the Ministry indicated that it monitored support and mobilization for the protests by some circles belonging to the extreme left, in addition to limited groups of extremist movements linked abroad.