#56 FEPS Talks: Vote at 16, would it reinforce the inclusion of young people in the democratic processes?
Nov 12, 2020•16 min•Ep 56•Transcript available on Metacast Episode description
Mara Oldenburg, Board Member of Germany’s Youth Participation Resource Centre and Maria Freitas, FEPS Senior Policy Advisor who discuss the merits and opportunities of implementing vote at 16 so as to meaningfully include young people in democratic processes.
Both experts also discuss the power of effective civic education and how it can have an long term effect in sparking political engagement among youth. Vote @ 16 has proved to have an undeniably positive impact on youth political engagement. Austria, Malta and most recently Belgium having introduced Vote @ 16 are a testament to this – question is: are other nations ready? Is there a political will in Germany to empower youth ahead of the national elections in 2021? Will there be a political momentum to see Vote @ 16 at the next European elections?
