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European elections 2024 - opportunities for children's rights

On June 9, 2024, elections to the European Parliament will be held in Germany, and this year, for the first time, young people aged 16 and over will also be able to vote. This marks an important step for the political participation of children and young people!

Children and teenagers are an important part of our society. For this reason, it is essential that politicians take their views and interests into account. EU policy is linked to various children's rights. Decisions have a direct and significant impact on children's lives within the EU and beyond. EU regulations influence areas such as climate and environmental protection, economic and trade policy, the labor market, migration policy, humanitarian aid and development cooperation.

If you ask young people aged 16 and 17 what issues are important to them and why they want to vote, many young people express concerns about a possible increase in far-right forces in the European Parliament, as these groups endanger the equal rights of all children and therefore a fundamental children's right. Children and young people are interested in politics from an early age and want to contribute their ideas and opinions! This calls for initiatives and projects that promote democratic education and co-determination for children right from the start. The Teachtoday initiative offers various topics in this regard on its portal, such as digital society and Co-determination for teachers and educational professionals to work on in project groups. On the SCROLLER children's page of the initiative, interested children can find out in the interactive magazine Digital Democracy playfully learn how co-determination can work in everyday life at school and at home.