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1. Young people as voters

2. Young people as political representatives

Young people as voters

Voting age limit

The voting age limit is 18 in Romania. It coincides with the legal age of maturity, and it is fixed by the Constitution. Art. 36 of the Constitution stipulates the right to vote without mentioning any obligation to vote.

Turnout of young people

Turnout among young people in Romania is generally lower than the turnout of older people. Official statistics on turnout by age are available in Romania for local and parliamentary elections in 2016, 2020 and 2024 and for Presidential elections in 2019. Data on the general population participation is provided by the Permanent Electoral Authority.

Youth turnout has fluctuating in the last ten years. In the Parliamentary elections in December 2024, young people aged 18–35 accounted for approximately 19.7% of total voters, based on post-election analyses and exit poll data, although this figure is not systematically published in official aggregated statistics. 

25.9% of young people participated in the parliamentary elections in December 2020. On the other hand, according to a study conducted by the Romanian Youth Council, 39,48% young people between 18 and 35 years old participated in the elections for the Romanian President in November 2019 and 43.2% in the elections for the European Parliament in May 2019, compared to only 31.48% the 2016 parliamentary elections.

Young people as political representatives

Young people as party members

Party members can only be persons with voting rights, therefore over 18, according to the Law No. 14/2003 on political parties. No other discrimination, positive or negative, is made by the legislation regarding young people participation in political parties.

Political parties have formal youth wings for members up to age 35, but there are no statutory age limits or specific legal provisions regulating young people’s participation in party life, leadership, or youth wing structures.

Young candidates

Age limits are fixed for candidates, by Constitution, varying according to the election types:

• At 23 for candidates in local elections (County and Local Councils and mayors)

• At 23 for candidates for the Chamber of Deputies, the lower chamber of the bicameral Parliament

• At 33 for candidates for the Senate, the upper chamber of the bicameral Parliament

• At 35 for candidates for the President of Romania.

The age limit is calculated taking into account the election day. If a candidate for a Local Council turns 23 on election day, he or she is eligible.

There are no quotas or specific measures in Romania to support young people in running as political candidates.

Young representatives

Parliamentary elections were held in Romania in December 2024, and the new Parliament, constituted on 20 December 2024, includes 21 deputies elected under the age of 36 (the youth threshold defined by the Romanian Youth Law), out of a total of 464 members..

Young people have no reserved positions or quotas within the Romanian Parliament, as the legal framework does not provide for age-based representation. According to the Romanian Constitution and the Law no. 208/2015 on the election of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary seats are allocated through general elections based on party lists and electoral rules that do not include provisions for youth representation.