One in Five Young Germans Plans to Leave the Country

A recent study shows that as many as one in five Germans between the ages of 14 and 29 are actively thinking about moving to another country — and 40% plan to do so in the long term.Think life is great in Germany? Many of the country's young people disagree. A growing number of people in Germany between the ages of 14-29 say they are actively planning to leave their homeland. The study "Jugend in Deutschland" or "Youth in Germany" published recently shows that around 21% of young Germans surveyed are actively planning to leave Germany to find a better life. As many as 41% of those surveyed said they could imagine moving abroad in the longer term.

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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.

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So what's driving the change? Those polled said they are worried about economic security in Germany, which has seen a stagnating economy for the last two years. Rising housing costs, weak career prospects in the face of AIand 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 lack of prospects," said study director Simon Schnetzer.

A political problem

There's also been a shift towards political extremes in Germany among Gen Zs. A report by Germany's "Tagesschau" news program found 21% of voters under age 25 voted for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in the recent Rhineland-Palatinate state election. The leftwing party, Die Linke, meanwhile received 19% of the vote from this age group. The country's political situation — especially the rise of far-right politics is causing many young people to consider leaving.

As Riff, a social cultural studies masters student tells 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 points to 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 Social Democrat Chancellor Friedrich Merz and coalition partners. "They're kind of already making certain steps that the AfD promised to make, so I am 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 worsening

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%. A figure that's even greater 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 personal problems.

This may be why the idea of choosing 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's not for the money. "Germany has a good market for young lawyers so it's not for better chances or something like that, but I really liked a different way of living. It was a little bit more peaceful, a little bit more clean." He adds: "But in general, I could also consider living in Vienna or London or Paris."

When it comes to the economy, 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, thanks to its reliable public services and high quality of life. In Mercer's 2024 Quality of Living survey, the city placed second in the world, trailing only Zurich. Other countries with cities on the list include the USA, Spain and France.

Kaspar Ten Haaf is studying Latin and music to become a teacher. He told DW he can relate to other young people who are attracted to countries like Austria and Switzerland and that people with migration 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 and hopes for positive change.

"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 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, he plans to stay in the country after finishing his studies.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 07, 2026 05:30 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).