Democracy educationWhat kind of society do you want to live in?
Fake news, conspiracy theories, disinformation campaigns and the global rise of right-wing populist parties make it very clear: our democratic achievements cannot be taken for granted. They must be cherished and protected. What happens when they are voted out of office can be seen in other countries.
The fact that many young people are increasingly voting for right-wing parties raises various questions: What influence does the social media success of parties like the AfD have on voting decisions? And why does right-wing populism also catch on with younger voters?
klicksafe makes teaching unit "Which society do you want to live in?" available for download
The teaching unit uses the AfD party manifesto as a basis to work out which positions are represented on topics such as sexual self-determination and identity, partnership and family as well as integration and migration. These positions are compared with the fundamental values of the European Union (EU) and the fundamental values of the German Basic Law.
Recommended age: from 16 years; duration: 45 min.
Skills
- The students learn about the program of a party that is classified by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution as a suspected right-wing extremist party, at least in part. They analyze the program against the background of the fundamental values of the Basic Law and the EU Treaty.
- The students can take a position on individual statements by formulating possible consequences for themselves and others.
- The election manifestos of other parties can also be used for comparison. For example Bündnis 90/Die Grünen, CDU/CSU or SPD. An overview of all parties running in the 2025 federal elections can be found at the Federal Agency for Civic Education.
Further materials on the topic of democratic competence
Teaching material Right. Extreme. Online.
The internet and social media offer ideal platforms for anti-democratic ideas. Right-wing extremists make targeted use of the internet to reach young users and win them over.
This teaching material helps teachers and educational professionals to better manage the tasks facing schools and lessons against this backdrop: Recognize hate and hate speech, become aware of propaganda mechanisms and train civil courage.
Actionbound: #cleanyournetwork - Bootcamp against far-right hatred and for democracy on social media
In klicksafe's actionbound game "#cleanyournetwork - Bootcamp against far-right hatred and for democracy on social media", young people learn to expose and oppose far-right online strategies. Which topics are typical for right-wing extremists? Which emojis, codes and memes do they use? And how do they try to manipulate young people's opinions on the internet and especially on social media?
The Actionbound is aimed at young people aged 13 and over and a game lasts around 25 minutes.
The school class becomes a gym with #fitfordemocracy
#fitfordemocracy is a station work for the classroom that is designed to reach and engage young people in their everyday lives. At various stations - analogous to a gym - topics and situations that young people encounter in analog and digital life are addressed. Creativity and humor are used to convey the joy of democracy and community.
Podcast klicksafe asks: Can you learn democracy?
Democracy education is one of the fundamental tasks of the German school system. But how can democracy be taught and learned at school? Christine Achenbach-Carret from the University of Trier answers this question in the klicksafe podcast. She is an expert in democracy education in schools and has worked on the klicksafe teaching materials #fitfordemocracy and Democracy Gym.
klicksafe quiz on the topic of democracy education
Young people can put their knowledge of democracy to the test in this quiz. The quiz can also be used in school lessons or together with parents to approach the topic together and discuss the questions.
