Germany’s federal elections on February 23, 2025, threw a spotlight on a fired-up electorate, with a whopping 83% of nearly 60 million eligible voters storming the polls—the highest turnout since the Berlin Wall tumbled in 1990. Fueled by economic jitters, immigration flare-ups, and climate worries, folks couldn’t stay away.
But dig into the numbers, and whoa—the splits by age and gender are wild, especially among the Gen Z crowd under 21. Older voters? They’re all in for the CDU/CSU, handing them a hefty 38%-43% from the over-60 crew, craving that steady-as-she-goes vibe. Meanwhile, the youngsters are shaking things up, tossing their support to the fringes. Under 30s gave Die Linke a solid 25% and the AfD a cool 20%, leaving the big dogs—CDU/CSU, SPD, and Greens—scraping by with less than 15% each.
Zoom to the 30-44 bracket, and the AfD’s riding high at 26%, while the CDU/CSU hangs around 20%-22%. Middle-agers (45-59) swing back to the CDU/CSU with 30%-32%, but the AfD’s still nipping at their heels.
Gender’s throwing curveballs too. Guys are flexing right-wing muscle—30% for CDU/CSU, 23% for AfD—while women spread the love more evenly, topping out at 27% for CDU/CSU and 17% each for SPD and AfD. But among Gen Z? Holy cow, it’s a showdown!
Young guys lean hard into AfD (25%) and CDU/CSU (15%), while their female counterparts swoon for Die Linke (30%) and the Greens (20%). Chalk it up to social media—left-leaning vibes are reeling in the ladies with talk of justice and green living, while the fellas vibe with AfD’s tough-on-security stance.
Regionally, the AfD’s killing it in rural spots and East Germany, snagging 38% of working-class votes. Retirees, though, stick with the old guard—39% for CDU/CSU, 24% for SPD. Immigration’s the AfD’s rocket fuel, while SPD and Die Linke ride the social security wave. With divides this sharp, Germany’s political scene’s buzzing like never before!
