One in five young Germans plan to leave the country

Think life is great in Germany? Many of the country's young people disagree. A growing number of Germans aged between 14-29 say they are actively planning to leave their homeland. In the recent study called "Jugend in Deutschland" or "Youth in Germany," some 21% of young Germans surveyed say they are actively planning to leave Germany to find a better life. As many as 41% say they could imagine moving abroad in the longer term.

The findings are based on a nationally representative survey of 2,012 people aged 14 to 29 in Germany, carried out between 9 January and 9 February 2026 by Datajockey Verlag.

So what's driving the change? Those polled said they were worried about economic security in Germany, which has had a stagnating economy for the last two years.  Rising housing costs, weak career prospects in the face of AI and mounting financial strain are making it harder for young people to become independent, said participants.

"The results of the study show in a dramatic way just how much the pressures of recent years are affecting young people — in the form of stress, exhaustion and a growing sense of a lack of prospects," said study director Simon Schnetzer.

A political shift

The Gen Z generation is also tending towards political extremes in Germany. A report by Germany's "Tagesschau" news program said 21% of voters under age 25 voted for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in the recent Rhineland-Palatinate state election. The left-wing party, Die Linke, meanwhile received 19% of the vote from this age group. Meanwhile, the country's increasingly polarized political landscape — especially the rise of far-right parties is also causing many young people to consider leaving.

As Riff, a social and cultural studies master's student at Humboldt University in Berlin told DW: "I think that every one of my friends is thinking about it — especially if you're racialized, if you're part of a minority in some way." She adds: "I'm getting increasingly worried, especially since a lot of the cultural jobs, jobs that are working for democratization are being cut. I think fascism is on the rise." 

Riff highlighted the increasing prominence of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and moves to appease voters on the right side of the political spectrum made by Christian Democrat Chancellor Friedrich Merz and coalition partners. "They're kind of already making certain steps that the AfD promised to make, so I'm very concerned," she says. Yet, the question of where to go remains unanswered. "I know it's not easy to migrate."

Mental health issues 

Mental health in Germany appears to be worsening. The study shows that the number of young people saying they need psychological support has reached a new high of 29%. That figure is higher among young women (34%), students (32%) and unemployed young people (42%). Many participants polled reported increasingly turning to AI-supported counseling services to deal with their personal problems.

This may be why the idea of adopting a different lifestyle outside of Germany is attractive to some young people.

"I was in Tokyo last year for three months for my PhD and I really liked it, so I'm considering moving there next year," Frederick, a 29-year-old law student from Hamburg, told DW. Yet, he stressed it was not about money as Germany has a good market for young lawyers. "I really liked a different way of living. It was a little bit more peaceful, a little bit cleaner... in general, I would also consider living in Vienna, London or Paris."

Germany remains the world's third-largest economy by nominal GDP, behind only the United States and China. So where are these young Germans going? According to a 2024 Destatis poll, Switzerland is the top destination, followed by Austria. The Austrian capital of Vienna consistently ranks among the world's most livable cities, with its reliable public services and high quality of life. In Mercer's 2024 Quality of Living survey, the city was placed second in the world, trailing only Zurich. Other countries with cities on the list include the US, Spain and France.

Kaspar Ten Haaf is studying Latin and music and wants to be a teacher. He told DW he can relate to other young people who are attracted to countries like Austria and Switzerland, adding that people with immigrant backgrounds "don't feel welcome anymore as parties like the AfD become stronger." Ten Haaf feels that inequality between social classes has become an increasing problem in Germany.

"We have a huge difference between rich and poor here in Germany. We have lots of taxes on normal workers but not on the wealth that rich people inherited from their ancestors," he says. "We really need more taxes on the rich and to support these workers, delivering packages or working in hospitals." For the moment, however, he plans to stay in the country after finishing his studies.