5.2 Youth participation in representative democracy
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Young people as voters
"Voting Right" has every citizen of the Republic of North Macedonia with 18 years of age and working ability.[1] Currently, in the Republic of North Macedonia there are no plans on lowering the voting age limit. According to the Article 22 of the Constitution of the Republic of North Macedonia: “Every citizen who attains 18 years of age acquires the right to vote. The right to vote is equal, universal and direct, and is exercised at free elections by secret ballot. Persons deprived of the right to practice their profession by a court verdict do not have the right to vote.” Young offenders sentenced to correctional facilities and young people completing their voluntary military service or are part of the military service, have the right to vote one day before official Election Day.
There are no statistics on the rate of turnout of young people during the elections in the country.
[1] Electoral Law on Republic of Macedonia (Изборен законик на Република Македонија), (Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia No. 40/06, 136/08, 148/08, 155/08, 163/08, 44/11, 51/11, 54/11, 142/12, 31/13, 34 / 13, 14/14, 30/14, 196/15, 35/16, 97/16 and 99/16), Art.2 https://www.sobranie.mk/content/%D0%98%D0%B7%D0%B1%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B8/%D0%98%D0%97%D0%91%D0%9E%D0%A0%D0%95%D0%9D%20%D0%97%D0%90%D0%9A%D0%9E%D0%9D%D0%98%D0%9A%20-%20%D0%9F%D0%A0%D0%95%D0%A7%D0%98%D0%A1%D0%A2%D0%95%D0%9D%20%D0%A2%D0%95%D0%9A%D0%A1%D0%A2_%20%D0%9C%D0%90%D0%88%202016.pdf (Accessed December 10, 2018)
Young people as political representatives
Young people can be elected as political representatives in the state bodies, including roles like mayor, municipality council members, and Members of Parliament, upon turning 18 years old. The exceptions аre the presidential elections where the Constitution provides that for the President of the Republic a person who is at least at the age of 40. Although there are formally no legal barriers for the participation of young people in representative positions, in reality young people still face the challenges of getting their place on the election ballots and actually being elected in the elections.
In September 2017, the Parliament of the Republic of North Macedonia has established Club on Youth Affairs and Policies, based on the trend of the European Parliament and countries’ parliaments. The Club on Youth Affairs and Policies is an informal body within the Parliament of Republic of North Macedonia, composed of members of all parliament parties aiming to accomplish the interests of youth in the country, in collaboration with the youth organizations, informal youth groups and youth political wings. The first coordinator of the Club on Youth Affairs and Politics was the youngest female parliamentarian in the assembly.
Within the actual parliamentary structure, elected in July 2020, the club is planned to bring together MPs that are younger than 35 but also all other MPs that can contribute to the efforts for improving the conditions in which young people live.[1]
[1]https://a1on.mk/macedonia/dzhaferi-da-go-doneseme-svetot-tuka-a-ne-da-ni-zaminat-mladite-vo-svetot/