Francesco, 16, Malta
«We should vote so things change»
For me, the EU means community. As a citizen of a very small country, it means having my voice represented in one of the largest democratic institutions in the world. That is very important to me. Not everyone my age is interested in politics because they feel that politicians don’t represent them. Some think that something like the EU is pointless, or they see the EU do something they don’t like. But if the EU does something you don’t agree with, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t vote. You should get out and vote to make things change the way you think is right. I hope that the politicians who represent me in the European Parliament will always vote for peace. And I hope they always have the people affected in mind when they tackle social issues, such as the rising cost of living. I’m very grateful that I’m allowed to vote as a 16-year-old. I use public transportation every day. I’m dealing with education policy every day. So why shouldn’t my vote count? Many say that young people are the future, but actually, we are the present.
Xenia, 16, Austria
«Perhaps it will be a breath of fresh air in politics»
In my daily life, the EU doesn’t really come up as a topic. But since 2017, I’ve been a member of an Austrian youth organization that holds workshops and discussion groups, sometimes about EU politics too. Whenever I have a chance to learn something about it, I find it very interesting. One of our subjects at vocational school is political education, which we only get to take in the first and third year of our apprenticeships. In my opinion, it should be offered in all three years. I personally read a lot about queerness and how it is handled in other countries. I care deeply about queer people’s freedom to live the way they like, everywhere. The first time I was allowed to go to a party, I was really excited about it. I get a similar feeling now that I’m allowed to vote for the first time. Everyone was always talking about it and now I get to do it too! There are a lot of people who think it’s a stupid idea because we lack life experience. But I think it’s cool. Because maybe if I, as a 16-year-old, am allowed to engage in politics, it will be a breath of fresh air.
Oressia, 18, Belgium
«We need more information»
Europe means that we are all connected in a certain way. Economically, for example. In general, I think we don’t discuss EU policy enough. We don’t talk about it much, especially at school. In Belgium, you are obliged to vote from the age of 18, so I think we should be given at least some basic information. We should learn how to determine who to vote for. Right now, I have no idea. I really need to find out more about it because I don’t just want to go along with my parents. I think there are a lot of us young people and we can make a difference. My grandparents, for example, had a very different life than we do, so age does play a major role. Here in Belgium, you can vote from the age of 16. I think that might be a bit young. At that age, you don’t know that much about politics and you might be easy to influence. I often see great division in politics. Some people have very extreme ideas. To me, it’s important that everyone is included and that we all work together.
Šimon Hlisnikovský, 20, Czech Republic
«We want people to listen to us»
Although many politicians try to portray European politics as secondary, it is very important for us young people. We are concerned about our future. Our generation is faced with lots of problems that local politicians don’t care about and don’t want to address because solving these problems would get them fewer votes than their populist policies. That is why the elections to the European Parliament are so important. Many young people have high hopes for European politics. Climate change, cultural issues, and the housing crisis are the topics that weigh most heavily on the minds of our generation. That’s why many of my friends, myself included, consider very carefully who we will give our vote to. We are generally willing to get out and vote. We don’t want politicians who make big promises and end up doing nothing. We want politicians who listen to us, whom we can trust, and who are prepared to tackle the problems that matter to us. The upcoming elections will therefore not only be a test for democracy as such. They will also be a test for us first-time voters. If we turn out in large numbers, we will prove that we really care about the issues.
Kaan, 16, Germany
«Now I can help shape the EU»
I am politically active in many ways. For example, most recently I joined a youth initiative called Ruhrpott für Europa. I attended the European Parliament Summer Academy in August 2023, which was a very formative experience for me. It showed very clearly that the EU is not that remote from young people’s lives. And this year, I finally have the opportunity to vote for the first time and help shape the EU. It’s great that young people get to participate in European politics. But I have the impression that many Europeans perceive the EU as an elitist apparatus that operates “up there” and no one really knows what they are doing. That is why the EU must ensure that people realize: Oh, that concerns me too! That’s also a problem in schools. In my opinion, we don’t learn enough about the EU in class and if we do it is often very boring. Something has to change so young people can also develop an interest in the EU.
Dimitrios, 17, Greece
«Many young people are not mature enough yet»
Politics is front and center in everyday life in Greece. From a young age, you hear your parents discuss politics in the family. We also hear different opinions on political issues at school. So young people engage with it a lot. In 2023, the voting age was lowered to 17. On the one hand, I think that’s good because I want to vote. However, I think that many young people are not yet mature enough. In 2015, Greece found itself in a deep economic crisis and some called for Greece to leave the EU. I think that if there really had been a Grexit, we would be worse off now. The euro and the common economy have helped us a lot. I would like to study in Germany one day, which is much easier within the EU. There is still great poverty in some EU countries. Things are a little better in Greece now. I believe that EU countries should support each other to strengthen local industries.
Christina Focken is a freelance journalist living in Berlin, where she studied Gender Studies and Regional Asian/African Studies. Her master’s degree in Global Studies also took her to Bangkok and Buenos Aires.
Lucie Louxor is a French illustrator based in Lille. With a knack for vibrant colors, she creates energetic, bold illustrations.