Cem Özdemir, the Green Party’s leading candidate for the Baden‑Württemberg state election, announced that, should he win, he would institute a ban on cell phones in all schools. “Then we have equality between schools” he said during a discussion with students at a Mannheimer Morgen event on Wednesday evening.

He also welcomed the idea of a social‑media ban for children and adolescents under 16. Since such a restriction would require a pan‑European regulation, Özdemir called on the federal government to lobby Brussels for a ban.

As a trained social pedagogue, Özdemir warned about the harmful effects of early social‑media use on children’s development. “The aim must be that we no longer blame tech corporations for devouring our young people” he said. He stressed the importance of teaching foundational skills in school, such as reading competency.