The belief that the next generation will one day be better off than the current one is starting to waver. Between the pension debate, the reinstatement of military service, deteriorating labor market prospects and absurdly high rents in Germany, he is growing up a disappointed generation. It reacts to all this in an unusual way.
On the one hand, many people simply turn their backs on the country and go abroad. On the other hand, there is a group that is more committed than ever to public service and for whom becoming an official means the greatest possible happiness.
While some are looking for their future in Zurich, Copenhagen or California, others are looking for grades, benefits and pension rights. Expatriates and officials – At first glance, these two groups may seem tenuously related, but they are two different responses to the same situation.
The credo of young people sounds more and more often: “Save yourself who can”.
The results of the youth survey published at the end of March speak for themselves – German youth are losing patience. As many as 21 percent, or every fifth person aged 14 to 29, plans to leave Germany to find better living conditions abroad.. 41 percent it basically allows for the possibility of emigration. Instead of clenching their fists, more and more young people are running away.
Germany is unattractive
Emigration plans are currently a cold calculation of costs and benefits. Germany has become unattractive, especially for university graduates who have specific plans for the future. High social security contributions, decaying infrastructure and disappearing cultural life make the country less and less attractive. Those who have a chance to receive an inheritance may feel happy.
Last year 295 thousand Germans left their countryand in 2024 this number was 269 thousand, which is only slightly less. Already 5 percent of all Germans live abroad, which puts Germany in third place among OECD countries – behind Poland and the UK. Emigrants are not only better qualified, but statistically they are also 24% more qualified. healthier and by 8 percent happier than those who stay.
The most popular destinations for German emigrants include Switzerland (200,000 in the last 10 years), the United States (127,000) and Austria (108,000).
This lost generation no longer expects anything from the state and is not ready to offer it anything in return.
Intergenerational contract
In my personal environment, too, more and more people are packing their bags – one friend recently went to Switzerland for work, and another recently ended up in Denmark. My older brother packed his bags 10 years ago, moving first to Zurich and then to the USA. The reasons are similar everywhere: abroad there are better conditions for conducting research, lower taxes and fewer intellectual restrictions.
This dilemma is particularly visible when it comes to the pension system. The pension system is a social contract under which people currently in the labor force pay contributions to provide for themselves foreseeable future. However, the foundations of this intergenerational contract are increasingly being questioned by the younger generation or quietly invalidated.
The latest source of controversy was an article in the Bild newspaper, according to which the pensions commission could recommend a gradual increasing the retirement age to 70 years. Let us remind you that Germany is already one of the countries with a relatively low statutory level of old-age security. At the same time, with a retirement age of 67, they are among the European leaders in terms of late retirement.
Increasing the retirement age to 70 would put the Federal Republic of Germany at the top of the list. So far, only Denmark has officially made such a decision.
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Lost generation
A few years ago, when Emmanuel Macron wanted to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64, the French caused such a stir in the streets that public life in the country was paralyzed for many weeksand the president had to temporarily withdraw from his plans. In Germany, especially among young people, instead of mass protests in the streets and clenched fists in their pockets, there would probably be nothing more than a collective shrug of the shoulders.
Yet the problem of alienation among one's own youth is not an exclusively German problem. In the light of the current report on youth unemployment in Great Britain, the British “Guardian” is already talking about a “lost generation”. Currently, over 1 million young people aged 16 to 24 remain without education and work.
Alan Milburn, a former Labor minister, sees the growing alienation of young people as growing economic risk for the country. Without a fundamental change in policy direction, the country risks a generational gap between young and old. According to Tim Vlandas, a political scientist at Oxford, advanced democracies around the world are approaching the point where “gerontonomy” — a term used to describe the stagnation of an economy focused on prioritizing older citizens.
On the other side of the Atlantic, this already seems to be a reality. American “gerontocracy” does not bode well for intergenerational peace, says “The Atlantic” magazine in its latest issue. “Respect for older people is gradually being replaced by aversion to them,” we read.
Lack of confidence in the future
However, the outflow of young people is only part of the truth. Almost a mirror image of this phenomenon seems to be the return of the official as a figure longed for – since 2012, the number of public officials has increased by 14%. Germany thus appears to at least partially confirm “Parkinson's Law” – British historian Cyril Northcote Parkinson's observation that bureaucracies develop a specific need to get bigger.
Thus, in addition to the current approximately 2 million civil servants in the country, there are also 1.4 million retirees who receive an average monthly pension of EUR 3,416 gross (PLN 14,000 at the current exchange rate). They pay small amounts, pay only payroll tax and are exempt from social security contributions. This also applies to pension insurance contributions.
People under 40 are responding to current challenges with two opposing attitudes. Some seek distance, others seek shelter. Some leave the country, others flee to its institutions. Both are variants of the same message – confidence in the future is disappearing.
The intergenerational contract is not based on regulations or contribution rates. It is based on trust. If this trust is lost, even retirement at the age of 70 will no longer help. Because one part has already left the country, and the other is counting down the years until retirement.
I’m Ashley Davis as an editor, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in every piece we publish. My work is driven by curiosity, a passion for truth, and a belief that journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse. I strive to tell stories that not only inform but also inspire action and conversation.
