Wednesday, 13^th October 2010

Participation of young people in democratic life: Vote@16

The European Union (EU) has completed a decade of institutional reform with the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty that provides us with new tools (e.g. European Citizens' Initiative - ECI) and new opportunities (e.g. Article 165 - “youth article”) to bring youth participation in Europe to the next level.

What is the “youth article”? By this we refer to Article 165(2) of the Lisbon Treaty that states: “encouraging the development of youth exchanges and of exchanges of socio-educational instructors, and encouraging the participation of young people in democratic life in Europe”.

The interpretation of this paragraph will be pivotal for the work of the European Youth Forum and all youth organisations in the coming years. The first part of the paragraph in my interpretation provides a legal basis for the Youth in Action programme (YiA) and similar European programmes aimed at youth (be it mobility programmes, educational programmes and/or exchange programmes). This will be important to keep in mind when doing advocacy in favour of a YiA 2.0 in the coming two years. The second part of the above-mentioned paragraph is linked to political participation and participation of young people in decision-making processes. This aspect is important for two main reasons: 1) the right to vote and be elected, 2) the right to participate in decision-making by being heard and consulted as representatives of young people; key word = structured dialogue.

Exercising the right to vote and the right to get elected are at the very heart of each democratic system. But who has the right to vote, when and how are important questions to which each society in a given time has provided a different answer. The limitations on exercising the right to vote are usually different from the limitations on exercising the right to be elected. For example, in Slovenia one can vote and get elected once turning 18. In Italy however, the voting age for the Parliament is 18, while the voting age for the Senate is 25. Moreover, as Italian citizen you can only get elected for becoming President at the age of 50 or over. Recent developments have been to lower the voting age down to 16. In 2007 Austria became the first European country that gave 16 year olds the right to vote. Similar campaigns for lowering the voting age to 16 are wide-spread in Denmark and the UK.

If the EU and its member states are serious about encouraging the participation of young people in the democratic life in Europe they need to live up to their words and enable full and active participation of young people in decision-making processes. Young people are too often reminded that to be heard one must have a vote. In this respect a fundamental right, such as voting, is missing for many young people for them to fulfil their role as active citizens. If one can be held responsible for criminal acts and treated as an adult at 16 one should also be given the right to participate in democratic life at 16. Moreover, lowering the voting to 16 would strengthen our democracies and give young people a sense of ownership and responsibility. Including and involving young people more and better in the political life of a given society will enrich and benefit the entire society. 

We need to continue the fight for the right to full and active participation of young people at all levels!