“Gen Z regulates” fire letter to Merz – Reichinnek and Lang are signatories

Shortly before the nationwide youth protests on October 31st in 28 cities, the “Gen Z regulates” initiative published an incendiary letter to Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) and the federal government.

“We’ve had enough!” says the call, in which the group accuses the government of endangering the future of young people with its austerity policies. The signatories include Left Party leader Heidi Reichinnek, Green Bundestag member Ricarda Lang, musician Bela B and the leaders of the Green Youth, Henriette Held and Luis Bobga.

The fire letter was published on innn.it, an internet platform where petitions and political campaigns can be started.

“We are schoolchildren, trainees, students and young professionals, we are the future of this country and we can no longer watch you squander our future,” writes the initiative.

At the same time, she warns of political consequences: “If an entire generation experiences that it is only needed but never supported, it will lose trust in democracy.”

The alliance cites, among other things, ailing schools, a lack of teaching staff, rising prices, the climate crisis and the war in Europe, as well as military service and military service as problems.

“Instead of supporting and promoting us, you are cutting further and further on our backs,” is the accusation against the federal government.

The initiative formulates six demands: more money for schools, addiction help and psychotherapy, an affordable life, a fairer distribution of financial burdens between generations, no military service, the protection of fundamental rights from further surveillance and consistent climate protection.

“No one will decide our future without us,” the letter says.

The youth organizations of the Greens and the Left also support the protests.

The left-wing youth group “Solid” welcomes “the fact that young people are taking to the streets against the austerity policies of the Merz-Klingbeil government,” says the “Taz”.

The initiative itself, however, emphasizes its party-political independence.

“We are non-partisan,” emphasize the initiators.

However, there is also criticism of the movement.

According to “Taz”, the organizing team consists of around 30 people between the ages of 18 and 28 who met through social media.

18-year-old high school graduate Akram Selo, who spoke to the press on behalf of the initiative, said: “We didn’t know each other before, but we all have the same problem.”

Former spokesman Gianni Matheja resigned from his position after just one day.

According to “Taz”, he justified this by saying that under the name “Gen Z regulates” different groups come together “whose ideas about the goals and forms of protest differ”.

He therefore saw a common peaceful framework as “no longer adequately secured”.

The Federal Student Conference has also distanced itself from the protests.

Although she supports the demands, she considers the organizational structures to be opaque.

The newspaper also reported on overlaps with established left-wing actors in individual local actions.

Selo rejected suspicions of political infiltration.

The initiative distances itself “from both right-wing extremism and left-wing extremism” and does not want to associate itself with any party.

At the same time, sharp warnings come from the Union.

According to “Handelsblatt”, the Union parliamentary group’s domestic policy spokesman, Alexander Throm, warns of possible hijacking by left-wing extremist and criminal forces.

According to the report, the Stuttgart CDU city council group even called for a ban on gatherings to be examined.

The police are also worried.

After the riots in France, the federal executive of the police union, Jochen Kopelke (SPD), told “Bild” that left-wing extremists or “riot migrants” who were “in the mood for violence against the police” could mix among peaceful students.

The pro-Palestine scene is also expected to take part in the protests.

He fears that violent protests will be called for in several cities via social media.

“Gen Z regulates,” on the other hand, emphasizes the peaceful nature of the planned actions.

"We're going out. We're staying peaceful. We're staying loud," the fire letter says.

Selo told the “Taz” that he wanted a “peaceful protest” for October 31st.

When asked what he meant by that, he replied: “That we only do what the Basic Law allows.”