Darmstadt's U18 mock election shatters records with 2,650 young voters
Darmstadt's U18 mock election has concluded with record-breaking participation. Over 2,650 young voters under 18 cast their ballots between February 27 and March 5. The Left Party emerged as the clear winner with 18 percent of the vote.
Voting took place across 25 polling stations set up for the city's youth. The election saw the highest turnout yet, with roughly 15 percent of eligible under-18s taking part. Mayor Barbara Akdeniz, a member of the Green Party, announced the results on Tuesday.
The Left Party secured first place, followed by Alliance 90/The Greens at 15.6 percent. The CDU came in third with 15.3 percent, while the SPD took fourth place with 13.7 percent. Smaller parties also made an appearance: Volt gained 8.3 percent, the FDP 6.8 percent, and the AfD 6.0 percent. The satirical Uffbasse party received 2.8 percent, and The Party earned 4.3 percent. Akdeniz highlighted that most votes went to democratic parties. She described the outcome as a strong signal of political engagement among young people.
The election results reflect the political interests of Darmstadt's youth. With a turnout of 2,656 votes, the event marks the highest participation in the city's U18 history. The mayor's remarks underscored the importance of young voices in shaping local politics.
