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The European Union is deeply invested in encouraging EU citizens to participate in the upcoming European Parliament elections. In pursuit of this goal, the EU Parliament has launched a dedicated website for the forthcoming elections to foster democratic engagement.

The platform, named https://together.eu/, is accessible in all official languages of the Member States.

This initiative brings together individuals from across Europe, facilitating networking, knowledge exchange, and skill development, with a strong emphasis on promoting participation in the elections scheduled for 6th to 9th June. European citizens can access a plethora of resources and materials to stay informed and become active advocates for the elections. Alongside virtual training and guidance, assistance is available through the European Parliament’s Liaison Offices in all 27 member states. In the past two years, the European Commission has made concerted efforts to promote interest in the EU Parliament elections, prioritizing this endeavour through various calls for proposals. For instance, in 2023, the Erasmus Plus cooperation partnerships’ calls prioritized initiatives fostering people’s participation in democratic life and civic engagement, including activities to raise awareness about and promote involvement in the 2024 European Parliament elections. Additionally, the Erasmus Plus “Youth Together” call, in both 2023 and 2024, focused on supporting youth organizations encouraging youth participation in the democratic process and society, particularly in the lead-up to the 2024 European Parliament elections.

Another noteworthy example of actions to promote civic engagement is the PEACE (Participation Erasmus Alumni for Civic Engagement) project. This long-term cooperation initiative, coordinated by the Italian Erasmus+ Agency INDIRE in collaboration with the National Agencies of 11 countries, aims to enhance civic engagement among European youth. Notably, the project is conducting an international research study titled “You(th) and the 2024 European elections” to gauge the perspectives of young Europeans given the upcoming elections for the European Parliament.

The brief survey targets young Europeans aged 16 to 35 to gather their opinions. It will remain open until 10 June 2024, in case you may be interested in sharing your vision: You(th) and the 2024 European elections (google.com) .

The questionnaire focuses on youth-related issues such as housing problems, youth unemployment, job market precarity, and rising living costs. Additionally, it seeks to understand young people’s perspectives on the European elections and the European Union. Analyzing the survey results in conjunction with the actual data from participation in the upcoming EU Parliament elections promises to yield valuable insights.

Written by: Cristina Ceccarelli