Contentious Discussion about Speed Limits at the Carl Mine: Instructional Session on Politics for New Voters

In the heart of Essen, Germany, on September 4th, 2025, a unique event took place at Zeche Carl. The "SpeedDebating" event, organised by the Youth Office and published by our city portal Press and Communications Office, brought together nine schools and five candidates vying for the Mayor's Office.

The participating schools, including Theodor-Heuss-Gymnasium, UNESCO School, Gymnasium an der Wolfskuhle, Glückauf-Hauptschule, Heinz-Nixdorf-Berufskolleg, Carl-Humann-Gymnasium, Gustav-Heinemann-Gesamtschule, Erich-Brost-Berufskolleg, and Gesamtschule Borbeck, prepared their students for the event through workshops that helped them develop their questions and inform themselves about the election programs and party topics.

In the SpeedDebating format, students had a few minutes each to ask their questions directly to the candidates: Thomas Kufen (CDU), Julia Klewin (SPD), Inga-Marie Sponheuer (Alliance 90/The Greens), Andreas Lojewski (AfD), and Heiko Müller (FDP). A teacher from Heinz-Nixdorf-Berufskolleg emphasized the importance of events like the SpeedDebating for fostering political education and openness to participation.

The event provided orientation for many young people and encouraged them to share their impressions at home and within their peer groups. Students from Gesamtschule Borbeck summarised their experience as engaging in conversation with politicians and meeting them. A student council member from the Theodor-Heuss-Gymnasium expressed that the event helped them make a decision for the local election and that some parties spoke to them on equal terms and took their topics seriously.

However, not all parties were present at the event. The party candidate who did not participate or was not present at the SpeedDebating event in Essen on September 4, 2025, was from either the Greens, the AfD, or the Essen Citizens' Alliance, as these parties did not give any feedback or were not represented at the event.

The event aimed to prepare young people for the upcoming local elections in 2025 and allow them to engage directly with candidates for the Mayor's Office. Many young people felt taken seriously and close to politics after participating in the SpeedDebating event. The contact information for our city portal Press and Communications Office is available at the provided phone number, email, and URL.

As the local elections approach, events like the SpeedDebating serve as an invitation for many young people to actively use their voting right from the age of 16. The student council member also noted that some candidates answered their questions clearly and with substance, while others were far from them in content and approach. Regardless, the event provided a valuable opportunity for young people to engage with politics and make informed decisions.