Youth associations and councils – which function as “workshops of democracy” 1 at the local level –enable young people to do exactly that in their capacity as spaces for youth-led democratic self-organisation. Youth associations, whose statutory role is laid out in Section 12 of Book VIII of Germany’s Social Code, occupy two key roles inside a democratic society: they are a space for learning and experiencing how democratic processes actually work, and they give visibility to young people’s interests and lend them a voice in the political sphere. However, these key functions are increasingly coming under pressure.
Obstacles to impactful youth association work
In several federal states across Germany, including Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, budget cuts in regard to youth (association) work are currently in discussion, forcing organisations and youth associations to continuously justify the merits of their activities. Planned budget cuts are a threat to the quality and variety of the work they do, and are putting these key spaces for civic learning at risk. Youth associations are where young people acquire the skills they need to function as members of society. Cutbacks in this area are a major threat to the foundations of a democratic culture. With anti-democratic tendencies and right-wing extremism on the rise, this is a matter of great concern.
Slashed budgets frequently lead to staff cuts. Youth associations are already suffering from an acute shortage of qualified experts, particularly in rural areas. Excessive red tape and rigid regulations around funding are additional obstacles. Under these adverse circumstances, it can be hard to retain unpaid personnel and maintain the stability of these critical civil society structures.
When extracurricular activities and projects are stopped, crucial gateways into society for marginalised young people close. Stable relationships are dissolved, opportunities to explore one’s identity disappear. In rural regions in particular, this can cause young people to feel isolated, leave the area or lose their sense of optimism about the future. This is all the more concerning since the younger generation is already disproportionately vulnerable to climate change, war, the aftereffects of the Covid pandemic and the strained state of the economy.2
Threats of destabilisation from the right
Youth associations and councils are strong advocates of democracy and human rights, marking them out as a target for threats and harassment from right-wing extremists. One element of this strategy is to publicly allege that youth associations are obliged to maintain political neutrality, all the more so since they receive public funding. However, this claim is factually untrue and quite at odds with youth associations’ understanding of their own role.
While it is true that public-sector organisations are called upon to refrain from inappropriate levels of interference in party politics, youth associations – which are part of civil society – enjoy fundamental rights such as freedom of expression and are absolutely not subject to the principle of neutrality.
Non-profit organisations are legally barred from lending targeted support to individual parties, yet there is no blanket ban on articulating an opinion on (youth) policies. To assist youth associations and councils in responding to these false allegations and attempts at destabilisation, Germany’s Federal Youth Council recently published a handbook on how to manage attacks from right-wing extremists on the work of youth associations.
Integrity, the hallmark of youth association work
These challenges are symptomatic of the increasing pressure that associations, organisations and institutions are coming under, especially those that empower young people to participate in a democratic society.
The trend is hardly surprising, given that extreme right-wing parties and their (youth) chapters are pushing a dictatorship-like education system, which is the polar opposite of what youth associations do: to give a voice to young people and empower them to become active members of a resilient democratic society. For this reason it is crucial that youth associations and councils remain able to do exactly what they do best: create spaces for democratic debate and dialogue, where young people can experience active citizenship and embrace diversity.
Integrity is baked into the DNA of youth associations, whether that means resisting attempts to win over young people to antidemocratic movements, countering all forms of marginalisation, or promoting an understanding of democracy that acknowledges the deliberate detachment of youth (association) work from the state as a key element of young people’s independence and capacity for critical thought. A form of integrity that broadens the scope of youth association work beyond its traditional role to include political advocacy and the amplification of young people’s voices.
To live up to that responsibility, youth associations require strong financial, structural and non-material backing from democratic parties and administrations, all the more so in times where democracy appears to be under threat and young people are subject to ever more adultism. At the same time, youth associations must become more resilient in the face of rising hostility, meaning – but not limited to – protection of professional and unpaid staff, legal certainty for association statutes, and stronger network-building across the civil society community.
Regardless of these uncertainties, however, one thing must be avoided at all costs: the withdrawal of youth association work from the political sphere. Now more than ever!
1 Position paper of the Federal Youth Council assembly: “Werkstätten der Demokratie – politische Bildung von Jugendverbänden und Jugendringen stärken und schützen” [Workshops of democracy: Strengthening and protecting civic education in youth associations and youth councils] https://www.dbjr.de/artikel/politische-bildung-staerken-und-schuetzen
2 Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (2024): 17. Kinder- und Jugendbericht. Bericht über die Lage junger Menschen und die Bestrebungen und Leistungen der Kinder- und Jugendhilfe [17th Child and Youth Report. Report on the situation of young people and the objectives and activities of child and youth services]
This article is taken from the specialist magazine beyond 01|2025, which focuses on the topic of ‘Young civil society under pressure’.
