European Youth: Participation in Democratic Life
The primary objective of the Flash Eurobarometer survey “European Youth: Participation in Democratic Life” (No 375) was to study young EU citizens’ participation in society, with special reference to attitudes towards participation in elections and intentions to participate in the European elections in 2014. Only respondents aged 15 to 30 were considered for this survey. This issue is of particular interest for the European Union, as its Treaties1 stipulate that it shall encourage the participation of young people in democratic life in Europe. The EU Youth Strategy2 also underlines the need to support young people’s participation in representative democracy and civil society. The survey examined the following issues:
young people’s involvement in a range of groups and clubs such as sports clubs, youth organisations and cultural organisations. The findings are compared with those from the same question which was previously asked in a Flash Eurobarometer survey “Youth on the Move” (No 319a) conducted in early 2011
young people’s participation in political elections at the local, regional or national level, the results of which are again compared with those from “Youth on the Move” (No 319a)
young EU citizen’s awareness and intended participation in forthcoming European elections
respondents’ awareness of how the members of the European Parliament are elected
probability of voting in the European elections in 2014
reasons behind their expected level of participation in the 2014 European elections.
KEY FINDINGS
Over a third of respondents say that they have participated in a sports club within the past year (35%), while one in five (22%) are involved in a youth club, leisuretime club or any kind of youth organisation. 15% of respondents are involved in a local organisation aiming to improve the local area and 14% are active in a cultural organisation. Compared with 2011 there has been an increase in involvement in all of the groups and clubs, except two where participation rates have stayed the same - cultural organisations and political organisations or political parties. However, 44 % of the respondents did not take part in the activities of any organisation within the past year.
Over half of those surveyed have voted in a political election at the local, regional or national level in the past three years (56%). Of the 44% of respondents who did not vote, only a fifth (21%) did so out of choice and a further 23% were not eligible to vote because of their age. These findings represent a decrease in participation since 011, when 62% of respondents said that they had voted and 37% had not.
The majority of respondents (79%) would not consider standing as a candidate in a political election at some point in their life: 30% say probably not and 49% say certainly not. On the other hand, almost one in five (19%) say that they would consider it: 5% say certainly and 14% probably.
Almost half (47%) of respondents are correct when they say that the following statement is true: the members of the European Parliament are directly elected by the citizens of each EU Member State. However, nearly as many respondents (43%) consider this statement to be false.
Approximately two thirds of all respondents (64%) say that they are ‘likely’ to vote in the next European elections in 2014. Almost three in 10 are certain that they will vote in the next election (28%). Just over a third (35%) say they are ‘unlikely’ to vote. The most frequently mentioned reasons given by respondents who are likely to vote for taking part in the election are the belief in democracy (94%), that Europe and European elections are important (90%) and that voting is the right way to influence political decision-making (83%).
The belief that the respondents’ vote will not change anything (64%), that they are not sufficiently informed to vote (61%), that the European Parliament does not sufficiently deal with problems that concern them (56%) and that they are not interested in European politics and elections (54%) are the most frequently given reasons for not voting. FLASH EUROBAROMETER 375 “European Youth: Participation in Democratic Life” 5
Participation in activities run by various organisations has an impact on interest in politics or elections. Respondents who have participated in at least one activity or organisation are more likely to consider standing as a candidate in a political election at some point in their life (23% vs. 14% who have not participated). They are also more likely to vote in the European elections of 2014 (70% vs. 57% who have not participated).