Describes a U.S. teacher's observations of the first election in newly reunified Germany in 1990. Discusses the political parties, the public's attitude, political advertising, and student and citizen reaction. Reports concerns over the electoral gains of former communists and setbacks for the Green party. (DK)

If one counts both the mid-term and presidential elections, the United States has had the lowest voter turnout of any democracy in the world. In the 1986 election, only 16.6% of the eligible 18-24 year olds voted, and although final census surveys for that year are not yet published, it is unlikely that the turnout for that age group would have…