I had traveled to Berlin several times before this since the February election date was announced. Each time, an increasing plethora of political posters appeared throughout the city. I was even surprised to see Oatly, a popular oat milk brand in Germany, with signs urging people to vote on February 23rd. While walking through the Tiergarten, a large, beautiful park in Berlin, members of the Freie Demokratie Party approached me and several other people. They attempted to give us pamphlets and encouraged us to attend a rally just outside of the park. As I continued on my walk, I noticed an array of political stickers from the top political parties posted throughout the park, too.
Now, let's get into some interesting components of the election! I am always baffled at the true number of political parties in Germany. I recently visited a school in Dortmund where I gave a presentation about politics in the United States. The students and I also discussed German politics as well. I asked, "How many political parties are there in Germany?" Well, the answer depends. In the Bundestag, there are six or seven parties that typically hold the most influence and have the most supporters within Germany. Officially, however, Germany has around 42 political parties, or at least according to those students. The answer still varies when I ask!
Students in Germany also get the chance to have their voice heard. The Bundestag sponsors a mock election that is sent to every school in Germany. Their mock votes do not count towards the official results, but they do provide insight into how German teenagers view politics in the country!
