To vote is to put the X on the ballot paper. It’s a democratic right, hard fought for and gained across centuries. The next UK general election will see the voting age lowered to 16. What can we expect? The youth vote may turn out to be the X factor that could have the most significant impact on the outcome.
The rise of the populist tide is bringing political debris of xenophobia to the surface and risks a tidal surge of nationalism that drowns out centrist politicians. Personalities outdo policies. Truth is sacrificed for power. Sound bites trump complexity. Propaganda is amplified by algorithm. How to make sense of it all?
Political education starts with asking the right questions and a curiosity of how decisions are made that impact everyday lives. Influence is gained when experiences are brought to the fore, real life stories are told and those voices are heard by decision-makers. When connections are made and social networks are galvanised to bring pressure to bear. In a democracy, it is to better connect communities for the common good and shared goals, and the collective response to support more vulnerable groups in society.
The loss of trust in politics is perhaps more pronounced in the younger generation with low voter turn out at 18-25 years of age. Yet the fracturing of support for political parties and with politicians needing to win over 16-17 year olds newly enfranchised, the race for the youth vote starts with young people 13-plus of secondary school ages entitled to vote at the next general election. Looking beyond schools and youth services, this is a generation of young people staring at the brink of climate change, mass migration, insecure jobs and stunted careers and a burgeoning national debt propping up an ageing population.
The party or politicians who work hardest to secure the youth vote – much more than school visits and hustings – will have a jump start to power at the next election, and energise the base for democratic renewal restoring hope and trust in mainstream politics. The hope for us all is that young people will help us turn away from the politics of hate and division, and bring a closer knit society where tolerance and kindness are seen as essential traits for strong and effective leadership.
Citadel 