[...]
The Greens are polling far worse than in 2019 and face losing the power to shape legislation if von der Leyen works with far right parties—a prospect she didn't deny during the debate. The motivation of young voters is also shifting. They are backing the far right [EPP] in increasing numbers. And the multiple crises facing Europe have also diluted the focus of a generation that five years ago was unified around a "climate change".  

"There's been lots of things happening since then. So people have kind of forgotten about it, mostly because of COVID, inflation, cost of living," said Maastricht University student RobertKeogh. "It's depressing."
[...]