🧑‍🤝‍🧑Webinar "Empowering Youth"

The webinar, titled "Empowering Youth: Enhancing Participation in the European Parliament Elections," held on April 15, 2024, and hosted by Election-Watch.EU, sought to tackle the persistent issue of underrepresentation of young people in EU political decision-making, with a specific focus on the impending European Parliament elections slated for June 6-9. Here's a recap of the key discussions and outcomes:

Delving into the intricacies of international standards for youth electoral participation, speakers explored past trends and the current landscape of youth involvement in EU elections. Issues, gaps, expectations, and proposals for reforms were scrutinized thoroughly during this phase. The significance of voting and its tangible impact on policy decisions were underscored in subsequent segments, with insights from young MEPs shedding light on strategies to surmount barriers to candidacy.

Highlighted focus areas included the provision of information portals and helplines for young voters, the creation of easily accessible voter information materials through infographics, and strategies aimed at engaging those who are less informed or lack interest in politics.

A diverse array of engagement options tailored to resonate with the young generation was showcased, ranging from information portals and helplines to innovative tools for detecting election-related disinformation. The webinar concluded with a final opportunity for participants to engage in dialogue and glean further insights, culminating in summarizing key takeaways and emphasizing the pivotal role of youth participation in the European Parliament elections.

Key discussion points centered on the importance of voting in the EP elections and its statistical impact, the influence of youth participation on policy decisions, methods to hold parties, candidates, and MEPs accountable, and alternative avenues for political involvement beyond voting and standing.

Overall, the webinar successfully addressed the pressing need to empower young individuals to actively participate in the democratic process, especially within the context of the European Parliament elections. By offering valuable insights, resources, and strategies, the event aspired to ignite greater youth engagement and nurture a more inclusive and representative democracy within the European Union.

You can find the full webinar uploaded online here.

The project is funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.