Event Summary: Young Leaders Forum: Reflections and Future Visions Post-European Elections
In the aftermath of the 2024 European Elections and the start of the new political trajectory of Europe, on June 18, 2024, as part of the EUact2 project, GLOBSEC organized an online event titled "Young Leaders Forum: Reflections and Future Visions Post-European Elections." This online event provided a platform for young voices from across the EU to reflect on the recent European Parliament election results, dissect what the election outcomes mean for the youth of Europe, and envision the future the young generation wants to see.
Through Zoom, up to 41 people (66% women and 34% men) from 13 different countries (11 EU countries and three non-EU countries) participated in the event. The whole discussion was very diverse and lively, enriched by constructive questions from the audience.
As suggested by the title of the event, we have invited four young leaders from four different EU countries to join our panel to reflect on the elections in general and provide unique insights specific to their own home countries.
Nini Tsiklauri, European activist, author and podcaster from Austria, opened the event by expressing both concern and hope for the future. Nini believes that young people who understand that a united, democratic, federal EU is the solution are the key. According to her, the major issue that needs to be addressed is the lack of education regarding EU decision-making processes. Additionally, creative communication channels and popular social media should be utilized to engage younger generations.
While Ionna Theodoropoulou, a member of the EU Youth Hub, was pleased with the increasing voter turnout in Greece, she noted that national issues dominated the campaign, and very few middle-aged people participated in the voting. As a lawyer, she also raised the concern that EU law is not adequately covered in universities, leaving people unaware of how to use and understand it later. In her view, youth organizations should be given more power and involvement at the EU level, providing young people with the space to engage and contribute.
Marco Németh, journalist, European activist, and author from Slovakia, concluded that he remains optimistic, especially because of Slovakia’s significant increase in participation in these elections and the fact that young people's interest continues to increase. However, he highlighted one of the biggest problems: the poor understanding of how the European Union works, which is also linked to the subsequent easy spread of disinformation in the country.
Clara Panella Gómez, a candidate for Volt Spain, highlighted the topic of misinformation, which she sees as a growing problem across Europe. She used the example of Spain to show how far-right and populist parties are gaining popularity – by simplifying the problems. It is important to note, however, that politics is not simple, and complex problems require complex answers. Instead of destroying the system, we should be looking for solutions to improve it, she remarked.
GLOBSEC's Katarína Schachtschneider led the discussion.
Watch the recording of the event below.
