From 14th to 16th November we had the opportunity to visit Deutschlandtag (DLT) of Junge Union, this year taking place in Rust, a town many might not know, but surely many of you have heard of Europa-Park, the family owned and biggest amusement park in Europe. And yes, it lies exactly there.
So, what is DLT precisely? It is “a place to be” if you want to discuss youth politics. It is an annual conference of our member organisation JU, where over a thousand people gathered to debate current topics and listen to high-level speakers such as German PM Friedrich Merz, Bavarian PM Markus Söder, numerous ministers, and of course our president, MEP Sophia Kircher. Each Bundesland sends its own delegation, and the love for their homeland is impossible to miss.
The main topic this year was the proposed German pension reform. The reform planned by the coalition of CDU/CSU and SPD would mean higher state spending and place a heavy burden specifically on the young generation. JU decided to step up against it. That made the debate with Chancellor Merz a rather heated one.
It was truly inspiring to see young politicians confidently defending the interests of their generation even against their own PM. DLT was once again a clear proof that youth have a firm place in politics and is already making real change. The event was packed with speeches and debates. Many lasting for more than an hour, yet remained energetic from start to finish, with standing ovations again and again.
I will not forget the speech of our president Sophia Kircher, who called for strong centreright youth organisations that dare to work on real solutions. She encouraged us to be courageous on intergenerational fairness, embrace change, and use innovation and new technologies—saying that this courage can be found in the JU. She also urged us to look confidently to Europe’s future and focus on three priorities: competitiveness, external border protection, and stronger EU security and defence. Nor will I forget the speech of EPP president Manfred Weber, warning about the risks of irresponsible social democratic policies. In short: the days were full of inspiration and drive. I could clearly feel that JU is an organisation with a genuine leadership spirit.
And the question you’ve probably been waiting for since the beginning: yes, we also had the chance to do some team building on the roller coasters and it was fantastic.
Danke schön JU und auf Wiedersehen!
By Max Špachta, YEPP Vice-President.
