Munich children in power: Greens and SPD want to set up youth town hall - "framework for co-determination"

Created: 2022-08-02 11:49 am

By: Sascha Karowski

In other federal states, such as here in Saxony-Anhalt, there are already state-wide youth parliaments.

Munich wants to improve.

© Klaus-Dietmar Gabbert

Young Munich residents should participate more in local political decisions.

Therefore, the Greens and SPD are calling for a children's and young people's town hall, which is docked directly with Mayor Verena Dietl.

Munich – There is already a kindergarten in Munich City Hall – at least sometimes on meeting days.

Now the Greens and SPD want to give real children and young people a better voice – with a children's and young people's town hall.

A position is to be created for this purpose, which will be directly attached to the office of Mayor Verena Dietl (SPD).

Munich should get a children's and young people's town hall: Young adults can get more involved

Children and young people in Munich already have many opportunities to contribute their interests to politics.

There are also various contact points for the needs and concerns of young people.

However, the city wants to further expand and improve the participation of young people.

There were various initiatives for this.

In the summer of last year, for example, the left and the party in the city council called for a youth advisory board after the majority of the children and young people who took part in an online survey wanted more political participation.

In the autumn, the Greens and SPD had requested special meetings for children and young people in the districts.

"Requests for playgrounds and sports facilities in the district, the best way to deal with municipal issues from the perspective of young people or the strengthening of democratic structures in educational and leisure facilities - children and young people often have precise ideas about how they want to shape and improve their living environment", says SPD city councilor Lena Odell.

"With the children's and young people's town hall in the board of directors, we are creating new and more efficient framework conditions for the participation of young people," says Green City Councilor Marion Lüttig.

Munich should get a children's and youth town hall: "Give higher priority"

The direct connection to the top of the city shows that the city wants to give greater importance to the participation of children and young people and at the same time guarantees that young people with their wishes have direct access to the decision-making processes.