Fostering Youth Participation in the EE24: Informing, Debating, Acting (ActiveYouth_EE24)

Despite the rising trend in voter turnout among young adults in the 2019 European Parliament elections, significant disparities persist in their knowledge and engagement with European institutions and politics. Many young adults lack a comprehensive understanding of how European Parliament elections operate and how the resulting decisions impact their lives and career opportunities. To address these challenges, the ActiveYouth_EE24 project was developed. This initiative combines a comprehensive student survey, an open event, several seminars debating an informative dossier on European institutions and elections, and a targeted student-led communication campaign to bridge the knowledge gap. Its primary objective was to enhance the participation of Catalan students in the 2024 European Parliament Elections by equipping them with critical information, fostering informed debate, and encouraging proactive involvement. Through these efforts, ActiveYouth_EE24 aimed to create a more informed, engaged, and active youth electorate for the upcoming elections. The main results show that promoting greater engagement and knowledge about elections and European institutions among university students is essential to ensure effective and responsible representation of their interests. Moreover, students' engagement and direct participation in pre-electoral communication activities proved to be extremely fruitful in creating a more informed and motivated young electorate.