Almost three out of four young people would like to participate more in politics, but feel held back by various factors including a lack of information, according to a report published on Tuesday by the Federal Commission for Child and Youth Affairs (EKKJ).
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/dos
Português
pt
Jovens suíços têm apetite por engajamento político
EKKJ president Sami Kanaan said the study rebuffs a perception that young people are not interested in politics. Youth are above all interested in “collective challenges”, he said; climate change, gender equality, and racism are the most pressing issues for them.
Political involvement depends on structural factors such as gender, socio-economic level and education, the report found. Young women and girls participate more than their male peers at the same age, as do young people with higher education.
Conventional political participation, in votes and elections, is the most popular channel for youth involvement. The 18-year-old voting age is thus a barrier for many, as is the need to hold a Swiss passport in order to vote.
Digital political participation via social media is the second most common way young people see themselves getting involved, via online debates. Unconventional forms of engagement are less widespread but also still present – mainly politically motivated behaviour (e.g. boycotts or “conscious” purchases of certain products over others). Unauthorised demonstrations or involvement in social movements were also mentioned in the report.
More
More
How do you get Swiss youngsters to vote?
This content was published on
Only a third of young Swiss vote regularly. Countries like Austria and Australia do much better. What’s their secret?
The EKKJ says that boosting youth involvement calls for a dual approach: both motivating them directly, but also making adults aware of the need to take their young counterparts serious and listen to them “without paternalism”.
The EKKJ also supports the introduction of the right to vote at 16.
The study, which explored the views of people between the ages of 12 and 27, was carried out by the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) in collaboration with the Valais University of Social Work (HES-SO) and the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI).
What do you think Switzerland’s Alain Berset can bring to the Council of Europe?
The former interior minister is to become the first Swiss Secretary General of the Council of Europe – which issues should his five-year term focus on?
Switzerland must urgently improve electricity distribution, says new sector boss
This content was published on
Switzerland needs to develop its electricity transmission and distribution network, says the new president of the Association of Swiss Electricity Companies, Martin Schwab.
Dutch mountaineer dies in Silvretta Alps on Swiss-Austrian border
This content was published on
A Dutch alpinist died in a fall on the Silvrettahorn in eastern Switzerland on Friday while descending the peak, cantonal police announced.
Many Swiss unenthusiastic about Eurovision song contest hosting duties
This content was published on
Less than half of the Swiss population are looking forward to the Eurovision Song Contest being held in Switzerland, says a new survey.
Béjart Ballet: Julien Favreau confirmed as Artistic Director
This content was published on
Julien Favreau has been confirmed as Artistic Director of Béjart Ballet Lausanne. The Frenchman had been acting in this role since February.
Historian urges further scrutiny of Zurich art collection’s provenance
This content was published on
An investigation led by Raphael Gross concluded that the provenance of the collection's pieces and also its name warrant a closer look.
Tourism spending in Switzerland hit record levels in 2023
This content was published on
Both revenue generated from foreign guests as well as spending by the Swiss on travels abroad rose to above pre-pandemic highs.
This content was published on
Such a reform, which would involve a constitution change, would have to face a public ballot before ever becoming reality.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.