The situation of young people in Germany is anything but good, as the trend study “Youth in Germany 2026” shows. “At 21 percent, one in five young people is specifically planning to leave Germany,” says author Kilian Hampel from the University of Konstanz. Young Germans hope to find better living conditions abroad.
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Looking at the longer term, emigrating is of interest to as many as 41 percent of those surveyed in the study, who are between 14 and 29 years old. “The study underlines how urgently young people need reliable prospects in terms of work, housing and financial security,” Hampel adds.
23 percent of young Germans are in debt
In all these areas it has become harder in recent years to gain a foothold. Job prospects in particular leave a lot to be desired for young people. The German economy, which has been stagnating for more than two years, is also reflected in the employment opportunities available to young people starting out in their careers.
In December, the Federal Employment Agency reported a rise in the number of unemployed graduates. Compared with the same month a year earlier, the figure was 25 percent higher. A solid education is therefore no longer a guarantee of entry into the world of work.
Among other things, these economic uncertainties and the growing influence of artificial intelligence (AI) mean that young people rate their career prospects more negatively than before, the trend study notes. In addition, the share of young people who are in debt has reached a new record high of 23 percent. Around a quarter of young people in Germany therefore lack a secure financial starting point.
Mental strain at an all-time high
Uncertainty in working life and the heavy burden of housing are overwhelming for many, as the study shows. “The results of the trend study demonstrate in dramatic fashion how much the pressures of recent years are affecting young people, in the form of stress, exhaustion and a growing sense of having no future,” emphasises study director Simon Schnetzer.
The proportion of young people who say they need psychological support has also reached a new peak of 29 percent. Women, at 34 percent, and students, at 32 percent, are particularly affected by this psychological strain. Among young Germans without a job, 42 percent likewise rely on psychological support services.
At the same time, statutory health insurers have to cut costs because of the economic situation and are also targeting psychotherapy. At the beginning of March, the insurers’ Extended Evaluation Committee decided to cut fees by 4.5 percent. For many practising psychotherapists this is “a completely wrong signal”, as the Berlin Chamber of Psychotherapists comments. Demand for psychotherapy has been rising steadily for years.
The health insurers justify the move by saying that psychotherapists’ fees have risen disproportionately compared with other professions in recent years, specifically by an average of 52 percent since 2013. This is well above the increase for other medical specialties (around 33 percent) and is now to be offset.
The Psychotherapy Action Alliance is planning several demonstrations, including directly in front of the Health Ministry. A petition to the Bundestag is also currently being prepared.
Young people are longing for stability
The crisis mode that has persisted for years now appears to be intensifying further with the Iran war involving the US and Israel. The everyday reality of young people in Germany has for years been shaped by inflation and rising housing costs.
The study also finds it striking that around 60 percent of young people use their smartphones in a way that borders on addiction. Many also turn, at least in part, to AI-based counselling services with personal issues. Ultimately, the desire for stability in particular is growing.
According to the study, doubts are growing as to whether effort and achievement still pay off in Germany. And this is despite the fact that, by a large majority, young people say they are willing to work and to take on responsibility. It is also about the fact that young people barely feel addressed by the mainstream parties any more, let alone involved.
Instead, there is a shift towards the political fringes. According to the latest Sunday poll, the Left is currently the most popular party among young voters. Yet there remains a wide gap between the genders. While young women mostly vote for the Left, young men are increasingly supporting the AfD.
“Young people’s protest is not loud, but beneath the surface something is brewing that could, in the long term, endanger the economy, regions and social security systems,” explains study author Nina Kolleck from the University of Potsdam.
In 2024, most Germans, regardless of age, settled in Switzerland, which was home to around 324,000 German citizens. They were followed by around 233,000 Germans in Austria, 128,000 in Spain and 91,000 in France.
