EU Civic Participation: The Role of Youth in the decision-making processes
2024 will be the year for European citizens to come back to the ballots and vote for the new European Parliament. Considering the turnout of the previous European Election, in 2019, and the political, economic, and social panorama of today’s Europe, it is crucial to bring about the importance of voting and choosing wisely who the Europeans want to have to represent them.
Over the years, the image of the EU around the continent has been constantly threatened by different and extremist views, which creates more distance and a lack of communication and understanding between the two parties – the EU and citizens. In this sense, the EU policy should be adapted accordingly to strengthen the EU around the continent. The European Commission often launches funding calls for European project proposals that support the implementation of the priorities of the Union as well as gives the space for the citizens to recommend better policies to be engaged by the institutions.
The European Democracy Action Plan is a response to the challenges that democracy around the EU member states has been facing. These are extremism, populism, election interference, disinformation, and threats targeted to journalists. The Action Plan’s aim explore the empowerment of citizens and build more resilient democracies across the EU. Thus, it focuses on countering disinformation, strengthening media, and promoting free and fair elections.
The first 2020 Eurobarometer about the Future of Europe, done after the 2019 European Elections, concluded that more engaged and democratic participation is needed (Kotanidis & Monte, 2022). The citizens also requested the European Union to tackle those challenges to maintain the Union stronger, more resilient, and capable of responding to the recent political movements that have been threatening the European political order. The citizens, especially the youngest ones, have connected with the EU project – a trend unexpected by the EU leaders. Around Europe, young movements about civic participation and climate change have been raising the engagement of the societies.
During the last European Elections, in 2019, compared to the previous ones, in 2014, the participation of young people increased by 14% (citizens under 25 years) and 12% (citizens between 25-39 years) (DUCH GUILLOT & CORLETT, 2019). Also, the turnout of this election was considered the highest number since 1994 (50,6%) (Kotanidis & Monte, 2022). In the aftermath of the elections, David Sassoli, at the time President of the European Parliament, noted that “May’s European elections show that people, especially the younger generation, value their democratic rights and believe that the European Union is stronger when acting in unison to address their concerns” (Kotanidis & Monte, 2022).
Nevertheless, a persistent problem that comes with increasing digitalization is the digital division between those who can access and effectively use online tools, and those who do not have access or the capabilities to make use of them.
The Lisbon Treaty introduced elements related to transparency, civil society dialogue, and participatory tools through the new Article 11 of the Treaty of the European Union. However, its implementation is still a process in the making.
For citizens to be able to participate more actively in Europe and to understand how the EU concretely affects their daily lives and what opportunities it can offer, the notion of European politics, citizenship, culture, and the workings of the EU institutions needs to feature more prominently on schools’ agendas. The mechanisms through which young people can have a say in policymaking should be further developed by integrating a more efficient and continuous form of participation where young people become the main stakeholders.
Thus, to make a difference in this regard we need to ensure that they are fully included in the society and are given the right to participate politically, and by facilitating their self-organization through civil society organizations and other representative bodies.
The European Union has established a significant initiative known as the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme. The main objective of this program is to foster democratic engagement within its member states. The program has a substantial budget of 1.550 million euros, which is used to fund various projects and actions across Europe enshrined in the EU Treaties and the Charter of Fundamental Rights (Commission). These projects aim to promote the Union’s core values, such as equality, rights, gender equality, and citizen participation. Additionally, the Daphne-EU program, designed to combat violence against children, young people, and women in Europe, is an integral part of this program[1].
EU-funded projects such as CERV are a great opportunity to work with civil society and give them the space and voice they need to participate in the policymaking process. The CERV program, for example, aims to encourage citizens, including young people, to engage in the policymaking process, showing in practice how to engage in dialogue with policymakers and how to participate in public consultations[2].
SERN (Startup Europe Regions Network) together with the National Federation of European Studies, based in Portugal, and ACRA, an Italian NGO, proceeded to submission of a project proposal on civic participation focused on first-time voters and youth until 25 years old. The project is denominated BE EUROPE and was submitted to the European Commission under the CERV programme. Including seminars and online workshops, BE EUROPE is thought to conduct a survey in Italy and Portugal regarding the perception of the youth on the EU values and actions. The aim is to bring European young citizens together and discuss various topics that might concern them and their future.
The BE EUROPE project aims to sustain and advance discussions on the future of Europe, civic engagement among citizens, post-election evaluations, transparent and ethical interest representation activities, and innovative approaches and tools to amplify citizens’ voices and foster public discourse on all aspects of EU action. The project will also focus on making European citizenship more tangible to citizens and facilitating interaction with political representatives of the European Parliament to enhance understanding of the EU policymaking process, particularly regarding the promotion of EU values and democracy. Furthermore, special emphasis will be placed on the role of women in society, particularly in terms of civic participation, and on motivating and educating people residing in remote areas to actively participate in the EU political life.
Committed to fostering and advancing open, rights-based, democratic, equitable, and inclusive societies grounded in the rule of law, BE EUROPE provides young citizens with an opportunity to actively engage in discussions about Europe’s history and contribute to the ongoing process of EU integration. By empowering people to voice their opinions and promoting greater inclusivity and democratic participation, the project aligns with the Commission’s strategic priorities.
The project is planned to provide valuable insights into the perception of the EU among the youth in Portugal and Italy, respectively, shedding light on their civic engagement and understanding of EU values concerning significant topics of interest to young people today: climate change, gender equality, education, security, and European citizenship. The survey’s findings are expected to contribute to informed decision-making and foster a deeper understanding of youth perspectives within the European context. The participants will be students from secondary education and universities both in Portugal and Italy – the “first-time voters”.
Initiatives such as the BE EUROPE project, funded under the Citizens, Equality, Rights, and Values Programme, exemplify the EU’s commitment to empowering citizens, especially the youth, to have their voices heard and contribute to the future of Europe through informed discussions and civic engagement.
Mariana M. André
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Bibliography
Commission, E. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/eu-budget/performance-and-reporting/programme-performance-statements/citizens-equality-rights-and-values-programme-performance_en
DUCH GUILLOT, J., & CORLETT, N. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20190923IPR61602/2019-european-elections-record-turnout-driven-by-young-people
Kotanidis, S., & Monte, M. D. (2022). Strengthening citizens’ participation How the European Parliament is responding to citizens’ expectations. Retrieved from https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2022/729363/EPRS_BRI(2022)729363_EN.pdf
[1] Daphne – Combating Violence. Retrieved from https://www.efta.int/sites/default/files/publications/fact-sheets/EFTA-participation-in-EU-programmes/DAPHNE-Programme.pdf
[2] Retrieved from https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/cerv-2023-citizens-civ
