European election: 64% of young people intending to vote. Schinas (EU), “their engagement is essential for the future”

The Eurobarometercon youth, democracy and the European election, published today, “gives cause for hope”. This was stated by Margaritis Schinas, Vice-President of the EU Commission, as he commented on the figures published by the statistics bureau, according to which 64% of young people say they are interested in the elections to the European Parliament and intend to vote. “The engagement of young Europeans in the European elections is essential for the future of our Union. By casting their vote, they can shape the policies that will shape their lives. The 2019 election saw a big increase in youth participation. In the current turbulent times, I’m optimistic that 2024 will see us build on that positive trend, to allow for our European democracy to thrive”.
Iliana Ivanova, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, commented these figures too. “With our recent youth communication, we presented ways of getting young people more involved in policy and decision making. It’s crucial that they have a say in decisions that will shape their lives. This is why it’s encouraging to see these results, showing that many young people are active and engaged and plan to vote. However, there are still too many who are not interested in taking part in the democratic process. We need to engage them and ensure that their voices are also heard”.Gianni Borsa