5.10 Current debates and reforms
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Forthcoming policy developments
Further reflection is underway on how to strengthen consultation processes at both national and local levels. Particular attention is being given to improving the representativeness of young people and youth sector actors involved in these mechanisms, as well as to ensuring that consultation topics reflect relevant and timely policy priorities. Future developments are expected to focus on more inclusive formats and clearer links between consultation outcomes and policy decision-making.
Ongoing debates
Youth participation remains an ongoing topic of discussion, with a focus on strengthening young people’s contribution to youth policy development.
Voting age
The question of the voting age remains an ongoing topic of public and political debate in Luxembourg. Discussions regularly focus on the appropriate age at which young people should be granted electoral rights and on how lowering the voting age could strengthen youth participation in democratic processes. While no legislative change has been adopted to date, the issue continues to be raised in political programmes, public consultations and youth participation fora.
Youth non-participation
In addition to debates on strengthening participation, increasing attention is being paid to the issue of youth non-participation and to the question of which groups of young people are less involved in political and civic activities, and why. Several ongoing research projects aim to provide evidence in this regard. For example, the Youth Survey Luxembourg (YSL) examines patterns of political participation among young people aged 12 to 29, including engagement in demonstrations and party membership, as well as trust and mistrust in political decision-making processes. Thus, the survey helps to identify which groups of young people participate less. On a local level, the Young-People in Esch-sur-Alzette Study aims at identifying structural barriers to political, social and cultural participation. On a European level, Luxembourg participates in the RAY MISS project (Evidence-Building Research Project on who is missing in the EU Youth Programmes), which seeks to understand which young people are underrepresented in European youth programmes, with a particular focus on young people with fewer opportunities.