Youth Parliament

It represents the young people of Erlangen. This means that it takes up the suggestions and interests of Erlangen's young people and represents them to the city council and the city administration. Above all, of course, it is called upon to support politics and administration on youth-specific issues. Anyone can attend the at least five public meetings per year. Not only members are allowed to speak, but also guests. In addition, the Youth Parliament holds internal working sessions as required.

The youth parliament consists of 15 honorary members. It is elected by the young people of Erlangen every two years according to democratic principles. It is headed by the board of directors, consisting of the first chairperson, the second chairperson, the press officer and the treasurer. The first chairman is Robin Grille, the second chairman Alexander Ackermann.

2025 Annual Report Published

The 2025 Activity Report has been published and was presented to the City Council at its meeting in late September 2026. The report provides information on selected activities from the year 2025. It is available only in digital format and can be requested here if needed.

Discussion on the Awarding of the 2026 Environmental Prize

This year, the City of Erlangen, in collaboration with Erlanger Stadtwerke, is once again awarding the Erlangen Environmental Prize for young people. The prize addresses the following questions: How can young people help shape our city and world today? And how do we want to live in the future? Local and global challenges can only be solved together—and to ensure a livable future, we must act now.

To this end, the best ideas were sought until June 30. Now the jury is getting to work and will decide on the award. Our Marissa is a member of the jury—for the second year in a row. Last year, the Youth Parliament was part of the jury for the first time. Read more: Environmental Award Call for Entries

Report on the Networking Meeting

From May 8 to 10, 2026, over 60 young activists from all over Bavaria gathered at Schwaneck Castle in Pullach. Under the motto “Looking Back at the Past—Focusing on the Future,” the networking meeting of the Umbrella Organization of Bavarian Youth Representations (DBJV) took place there. A report by our member Apoorv:

On Friday evening and Saturday morning, the participants took part in various workshops on the culture of remembrance and also spent a lot of time discussing how youth councils can contribute to this culture. On Saturday afternoon, the DBJV held its general assembly. During the meeting, a resolution was passed to promote the culture of remembrance as a responsibility of Bavarian youth councils, along with another resolution calling for the responsible use of social media rather than a blanket ban. A gala dinner marked the festive conclusion of Saturday’s events. It provided an opportunity to look back on past successes in the statewide collaboration among youth councils. Finally, on Sunday, a fishbowl discussion with experts took place on how we can continue to foster a culture of remembrance. I thought the networking event was really cool, since, on the one hand, you could make new connections, and on the other, the atmosphere was always very relaxed, friendly, and respectful.

Chairperson at the Stadtjugendring’s Spring General Assembly

The City Youth Council is hosting its spring general assembly on April 28. First Chair Robin Grille will attend on behalf of the Youth Parliament. General Assembly – SJR Erlangen

Speech at the “Colorful Against Racism” Rally on March 20

Together with E-Werk, the City Student Council (SMV) of Erlangen’s schools is once again sending a clear message of diversity, respect, and democracy this year as part of the International Weeks Against Racism. They are strongly urging everyone to participate in the rally on March 20 under the motto “Colorful Against Racism.” Isabella will speak on behalf of the Youth Parliament. The rally will take place on Friday, March 20, at 4:00 p.m. on Schloßplatz. Especially in turbulent times like these, it is important for students to stand together and take a stand.

By the way: the Youth Parliament is a co-signatory of the “Erlangen Declaration for Diversity, Respect, and Tolerance.”

Motion for Online Voting

Currently, the Youth Parliament’s bylaws stipulate that ballot boxes and pre-printed ballots must be used for the election. To offer more options and flexibility for the election—and, hopefully, to achieve a higher voter turnout as a result—an online voting option should be made available, as was the case in 2020 and 2023. The Youth Parliament approved a corresponding motion at its public meeting on October 6, 2025. The motion has been submitted to the city administration for processing since October 7.

Motions submitted by the Youth Parliament must be addressed within three months. However, some motions require more time, so the processing time may be extended.

Motion on Term of Office

The term of office is regulated in the City of Erlangen’s bylaws for the Youth Parliament. They state: “The term of office of the Youth Parliament is two years.” Since early summer, the administration has been proposing to extend the term of office to three years, effective for the current term. The reason given is the current budget situation.

The Youth Parliament discussed this proposal in detail during its public meeting on October 5, 2026. On October 6, 2026, it submitted a motion requesting that the term of office not be changed; it should remain at two years. This motion also requested an allocation of 10,500 euros in the 2027 budget to conduct the 2027 election. The explanatory statement reads as follows: “The last election was in 2025; the next election would be in the fall of 2027.” According to a statement from the Mayor’s and Press Office, the City Treasury will not allocate any funds to the Mayor’s and Press Office in the 2027 draft budget for conducting the election due to the budgetary situation. Instead, there is a proposal to extend the term of office from two to three years. This is intended to apply retroactively to the current term, meaning that our current term would not end in the fall of 2027, but rather in the fall of 2028. We do not want that! We are well aware of the budgetary situation. However, the members of the Youth Parliament ran for election in the fall of 2025 knowing that the term of office would be two years. People should be able to rely on that. Doing it differently is not credible. Furthermore, in our view, it is inconsistent with our understanding of democracy for a term of office that was fixed at the time of the election to be extended during the term itself—and for this change to apply retroactively to the current term.

We also find it unacceptable that the City Treasury has not allocated any budget to the Mayor’s and Press Office for conducting the election in the 2027 draft budget! According to its own statement, the department needs approximately 3,000 euros to at least cover the cost of transporting the ballot boxes and the ballots. We believe that the Mayor’s and Press Office must receive more funding to do more for the election. Therefore, we are additionally requesting that 10,500 euros be allocated in the 2027 budget for the 2027 Youth Parliament election."

Motion for an Online Election

Currently, the Youth Parliament’s bylaws stipulate that ballot boxes and pre-printed ballots must be used for the election. To offer more options and flexibility for the election—and, hopefully, to achieve a higher voter turnout as a result—an online voting option should be made available, as was the case in 2020 and 2023. The Youth Parliament approved a corresponding motion at its public meeting on October 6, 2025. The motion has been submitted to the city administration for processing since October 7.

Motion to Create a Beach Volleyball Court

In December 2021, a motion was filed to search for potential locations for new public beach volleyball courts and to construct a total of six courts at suitable sites within the city limits. As a supplement, a motion was submitted in June 2023 to build a beach volleyball court in Tennenlohe. In its justification, the Youth Parliament follows the reasoning of a former chairperson.

Free Provision of Menstrual Products

The motion dates from October 2022 and is currently being implemented: The city administration launched a pilot program at the start of the school year in September 2022, which ended in December 2022. As part of a pilot project, three locations were equipped with dispensers from which tampons and pads could be taken. Following the project’s conclusion, an evaluation was conducted from January through March 2023. Based on this, a cost estimate for the permanent provision of menstrual products in schools and public buildings is being prepared, and a proposal for potential further implementation is being developed. More information is available here

Rationale for the proposal: Menstruation and the need for menstrual hygiene products are part of everyday life for menstruating individuals. Providing menstrual products free of charge offers relief to menstruating individuals. Furthermore, it helps destigmatize menstruation and can, in particular, boost the self-confidence of younger students. Last but not least, providing these products eases the financial burden on students from low-income families and reduces the additional costs that menstruating individuals must pay for their periods. In Scotland, free menstrual products have been available in schools and universities since 2018; in New Zealand, they are available in schools; and in Germany, similar projects are underway at the gymnasium in Wasserburg and the university in Merseburg. The City Student Council and the Youth Parliament of Wiesbaden have also launched a successful pilot project on this issue at the Diltheyschule. The Youth Parliament believes that the city of Erlangen should follow these exemplary models.

LED lighting system for the hard court in Tennenlohe from October 2021

In October 2021, the youth parliament requested that the hard court in Tennenlohe be equipped with an LED lighting system. The committee thus supported the wish of the children and young people from the district. The responsible city council committee decided to approve the application on February 8, 2022. The lighting on the SV Tennenlohe hard pitch has been in operation since the beginning of April 2023. This was announced by the responsible department at the beginning of June.

Free provision of menstrual products from October 2022

Periods and the need for menstrual hygiene products are part of everyday life for menstruating women. The free provision of menstrual products is a relief for menstruating people. It also helps to destigmatize periods and can boost the self-confidence of younger students in particular. Last but not least, the provision offers relief for pupils from low-income families and reduces the additional costs that menstruating people have to pay for their periods. In Scotland, free menstrual products have been available at schools and universities since 2018, in New Zealand there are free menstrual products at schools and such projects are also running in Germany at the grammar school in Wasserburg and at the university in Merseburg. The City Pupils' Council and the Youth Parliament of the City of Wiesbaden have also launched a successful pilot project in this regard at the Dilthey School. The youth parliament believes that the city of Erlangen should follow these exemplary models.

Processing by the city administration: It started a test phase at the beginning of the school year in September 2022, which will end in December 2022. As part of a pilot project, three locations were equipped with dispensers from which tampons and pads can be taken. Once the project was completed, it was evaluated from January to March 2023. Based on this, a calculation for the permanent provision of period products in schools and public buildings will be drawn up and a proposal for possible further implementation will be developed. More information can be found here.

Motion from March 22, 2022: Construction of one or more calisthenics parks in the center of Erlangen

Justification: During the corona pandemic, awareness and the associated demand for outdoor sports and leisure activities has increased among many people. Calisthenics is about exercising with your own body weight, which reduces the risk of injury. A calisthenics park therefore offers a free "alternative" to fitness studios. The park at Dechsendorfer Weiher is already a location where calisthenics can be practised, but it is very far from the city center. A facility was built in 2022 on Bayernstraße, which is relatively easy to reach from the city center.

New beach volleyball court opened at Dechsendorfer Weiher

The city of Erlangen officially opened the new beach volleyball court at Dechsendorfer Weiher on July 30. Mayor Jörg Volleth and those responsible from the city's Department of Sport and Health Promotion opened the court for the first match. Paul Fenner took part in the opening on behalf of the youth parliament. The new playing field at Dechsendorfer Weiher is located on the north-eastern bank, not far from the calisthenics facility and the barbecue area. It has a total area of 22 by 14 meters and a playing area of 16 by 8 meters. The net height adjustment range is relatively large. This enables multifunctional use for different classes such as men's, mixed, women's or beach tennis. The costs amount to around 37,000 euros.

The creation of six beach volleyball courts at suitable locations was decided by the youth parliament at its meeting on December 13, 2021. In doing so, it took up and supported the request of a former chairman. Furthermore, the youth parliament also applied for the creation of a beach volleyball court in Tennenlohe in a motion dated June 21, 2023.

There are two memberships:

• Stadtjugendring Erlangen
• Umbrella organization of Bavarian youth organizations

The meeting dates can be accessed via the Council information system:

Here: To the dates

No. It is represented in many other committees and can also get involved there. For example, in the Youth Forum Demokratie Leben, the Round Table on Inclusion, the Round Table on Volunteering and the Mobility Forum. The members also regularly attend committee meetings, such as the education and sports committees. There, the representatives can present their views and opinions if they are given the floor.

The Youth Parliament will be elected again in fall 2027.

Anyone who has had their main residence in Erlangen for at least three months at the time of the election and is between 12 and 18 years old can vote. The city of Erlangen always draws attention to the election in good time. The next election will take place in fall 2027.

Anyone who has had their main residence in Erlangen for at least three months at the time of the election and is between 12 and 18 years old can vote. The next election will be held in fall 2027.

The City of Erlangen will provide information about the election and the opportunity to nominate in good time.