At each European deadline, 18-24 year olds are those who abstain the most. And even if in 2019 they participated more, in particular because of Brexit and ecological issues, young people’s disenchantment with the European elections is still there.
“ The people who present themselves, their ideas, we don’t know them at all. Nobody knows the President of the European Union. I didn’t even know the dates before you told me. I’m going to sound stupid, but where should we go? “. Alia doesn’t know Europe well. As a result, at 18, she does not plan to vote on June 9. “ It’s a shame, because they make global decisions and we don’t know them, well, we just know on our small scale “.
Poor knowledge of the European system which keeps young people away from the polls. In 2019, during the previous elections, like Alia, almost 70% considered themselves ill-informed. “ By participating, we could also act a little », Announces Chanan, a philosophy degree student. He doesn’t plan to vote either. “ We have the impression that, given that we are far away, it is only the circle of those who are in the know who can think for us “.
A lack of civic education
Is the complexity of the European Union to blame? In any case, this is what political scientist Dorian Dreuil, a specialist in abstention among young people, regrets. “ We can regret that there are not more civic and moral education courses which, precisely, explain this institutional functioning “.
The lack of education may be one of the reasons for the disenchantment of 18-24 year olds with the European vote. “ It is difficult to imagine the impact of the work of the European Parliament on daily life. How does the European Parliament do politics or work? This is symbolic distancing. The European Union is everywhere in our lives. We just don’t see it all the time or not enough », Adds Dorian Dreuil.
Europe too discreet, Europe too complex, Europe too distant from young people… The Young Europeans association is trying to respond to all these problems with a shocking concept, a fictional newspaper which imagines a world without Europe. “ On June 10, Europe wakes up, no one has voted. There is such a strong lack of interest that we say: Europe, that’s it, we’ll stop, it’s no use. We try to ask ourselves what happens if Europe stops, with a front page with the map of Europe marked “the end”. As a result, it is a newspaper which brings together several somewhat dystopian false articles on the economic consequences, explains Laure Niclot, president of the association. We also have false interviews with young people, about what consequences that has, on the climate too. Especially since the climate affects all young people who are very committed, but who are not necessarily aware of European issues “.
The world (without Europe)it is 15 pages printed in more than 2,500 copies and widely distributed on social networks, with at the end, after the fiction, a whole educational page.
“ You have read the newspaper, you are convinced that you have to go and vote, so you can cut out your little vouchers to go and vote in the European elections, make a proxy and register on the lists », adds Laure Niclot.
And around the newspaper, a European flag at the bottom of a cave with the writing, “ don’t let me disappear, vote » to push young people towards the voting booth.
Read alsoFrance: two months before the European elections, the far-right is campaigning in the lead