The European Youth Forum’s campaign to lower the voting age to 16 was a key part of festivities in Ghent this weekend, celebrating its year-long reign as the European Youth Capital, which coincides with the year of the European elections.
In 2023, Belgium lowered the voting age for the upcoming European Parliament elections to 16 in a bid to drive democratic engagement among youth, an initiative supported by the European Youth Forum.
“Ghent successfully won over the Youth Capital Jury with its commitment to put young people at the core of its democratic events and civic life, in line with Belgium’s recent decision to lower the voting age to 16 in the European elections,” a European Youth Forum press release read.
Jef Druyts, one of the leaders of the Flemish Liberals and Democrats’ youth branch, as well as a member of the European Youth Parliament, echoed the press release’s statements.
“To me … it really reaffirms the commitment that the city made, but also Belgium, to include young people in policymaking,” Druyts said.
During the inaugural weekend, a panel discussion brought together Belgian MEP Sara Matthieu, European Youth Forum President María Rodríguez Alcázar, Druyts, and others to discuss the merits of lowering the voting age in all elections across Europe to 16.
According to the panellists, lowering the voting age would have significant political ramifications as many under-18s are politically conscious, eager to vote, and would impact politicians’ stances on issues.
“We had a poll not that long ago where we saw that we actually got 18% of the votes of young people, which is way higher than within the adults,” Matthieu, who is part of the Greens/EFA group, said.
“The more young people get out to vote, the more policymakers will take into account what they have to say,” Matthieu continued. I mean, that’s how our democracy works. If a politician knows, oh, I actually have to count on you guys to get reelected, I will listen to what you have to say,” she added.
Rodríguez Alcázar said that if 16 and 17-year-olds had the right to vote, a directive banning unpaid internships would have already been passed and more resources would be diverted to solving mental health issues.
Matthieu added that younger voters would also likely advocate for minimum income eligibility as well as more affordable Erasmus exchange schemes.
Panellists criticised beliefs about young people and voting, including the idea that young people are disengaged from politics, easily manipulated by misinformation on social media, and unqualified to cast votes.
Panellists also advocated for more political and civic education in schools.
“What does it change when you turn 18? I didn’t experience such a change in my life,” Rodríguez Alcázar said. “So does it mean that just when you’re 17, you’re not experienced, but then, suddenly, the day after, you’re the most experienced person and you can suddenly cast your vote and everything’s fine?”
“But also, if it’s about political understanding,” she continued, “We need to make sure that we have political education at school.”
Besides advocating for lowering the voting age in elections besides European ones, Ghent’s agenda for its year as youth capital includes hosting a conference where young people from across Europe can discuss solutions to world issues, a debate between policymakers and hundreds of Ghent youth also aimed at finding solutions to pressing global issues, and a series of parties to bolster Ghent’s nightlife scene.
Euractiv is on the jury for the European Youth Capital award
[Edited by Alice Taylor]
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