German schools promote civic engagement through student elections and democracy initiatives

German schools have held various activities to promote democratic engagement and civic education.

At Flatow-Oberschule, students participated in the Juniorwahl on September 14. Out of 253 eligible students, 213 cast their votes, representing a turnout of 84.19 percent. The process included classroom preparation where students discussed party programs and current political issues. Senior students also created information posters to help their peers make informed decisions.

In observance of the International Day of Democracy on September 15, Sophie-Scholl-Gesamtschule organized an initiative titled ‘Democracy is in your hands!’. Students participated in creative exercises to define what democracy means to them, focusing on themes such as freedom, equality, and respect. The school also established an information booth to collect student suggestions for school improvements, which will be evaluated and discussed with the school administration.