Legal Frameworks and Policy Initiatives

• Law 11/2007 on Electronic Access of Citizens to Public Services (Ley 11/2007 de Acceso Electrónico de los Ciudadanos a los Servicios Públicos – LAECSP): Enacted in June 2007, this law established citizens' right to interact electronically with public administrations, laying the foundation for e-participation in Spain. ​
• National Interoperability Framework (NIF): Royal Decree 4/2010 (Real Decreto 4/2010 por el que se regula el Esquema Nacional de Interoperabilidad en el ámbito de la Administración Electrónica), part of Spain's eGovernment strategy, ensures technical standards for interoperability among public administrations, facilitating seamless electronic interactions.
• Youth Strategy 2030 (Estrategia Juventud 2030): Approved in May 2022, this strategy outlines objectives to enhance youth political participation, including promoting digital engagement through ICT tools.
• Law[SB2]  39/2015 on the Common Administrative Procedure of Public Administrations: This law establishes how public administrations should interact with citizens, ensuring transparency and public participation in decision-making processes through digital means. It complements the broader framework of e-participation in Spain.
• Law 50/1997 on the Government: Article 26 of this law focuses on the necessity of transparency and public participation in the regulatory development process, ensuring that citizens can engage with policy decisions online.

• Order PRE/1590/2016: This Order, enacted on October 3, 2016, establishes guidelines for enabling public participation in regulatory development through web portals of the ministerial departments, making it easier for citizens to get involved in policy-making processes, including e-participation.

   

AE-Participation Initiatives

In Spain, several initiatives have been introduced to encourage and broaden youth participation in political and social life through information and communication technologies (ICT) and social media. These initiatives aim to promote e-participation, allowing young people to engage in online consultations, e-voting, e-representatives, and other forms of digital involvement.

1. V Plan de Gobierno Abierto 2024-2028

Gobierno Abierto (Open Government) has long been a cornerstone of Spain's approach to transparency and citizen engagement. The 5th Open Government Plan (V Plan de Gobierno Abierto 2024-2028) builds upon this foundation and aims to increase citizen engagement, including youth, in policy-making through e-participation tools. 

This plan focuses on enhancing transparency, fostering dialogue, and ensuring public accountability. It includes commitments to broaden e-consultation, online voting, and other digital tools that directly involve citizens, especially young people, in democratic processes.

2. INJUVE Project on Multilateral Cooperation in Youth Policy

The Institute of Youth (Instituto de la Juventud, INJUVE) has been instrumental in promoting youth participation through multilateral cooperation and the eParticipation framework in Spain. As part of the YOUTH PART initiative, INJUVE collaborated with youth policy experts from Spain, Germany, Finland, Austria, the United Kingdom, and the European Commission to develop the "Guidelines for Successful e-Participation by Young People". These guidelines provide a practical framework for planning and implementing effective online political participation processes among youth. Serving to engage youth in the design and implementation of policies, fostering deeper participation in democratic processes through digital networks.

3. Decide Madrid Platform

Launched in 2015, the Decide Madrid Platform is a key initiative promoting citizen participation in municipal decision-making. This online platform enables youth to contribute to policy processes, particularly participatory budgeting. By 2018, it had registered over 400,000 users and facilitated discussions on local policy and governance. The platform utilizes online forums, e-consultations, and e-voting to engage young citizens, particularly urban youth, in shaping municipal policies. The primary aim is to increase civic engagement by offering an accessible way for youth to influence policy decisions at the local level.

4. Structured Dialogue Initiatives

These ongoing initiatives, based on the European Structured Dialogue model, foster collaboration between young people and policymakers in Spain. The goal is to create a space for joint reflection on youth-related issues and to ensure that youth voices are included in policy-making processes. The initiative employs online surveys and discussion platforms to consult young people on various topics, providing valuable feedback to policymakers. These efforts primarily target young individuals already engaged in the policy development process, encouraging deeper involvement in shaping youth policies.

5. We Need YOUth Campaign 

The We Need YOUth campaign, organized by the Spanish Youth Council (CJE), targets young people in Spain to promote political engagement during the European elections. This digital campaign leverages social media and other platforms to encourage youth to vote and participate in the political process. The initiative highlights the importance of youth voices in shaping the future of Europe. 

6. Young Creators Programme

The Young Creators programme under the EYCA (European Youth Card Association), supported by INJUVE, engages young people in the creation of digital content that promotes social and political participation. Through this program, youth develop their own digital campaigns, helping shape public discourse on issues relevant to their generation. 

7. 2025-2026 Youth Dialogue Embassies

The 2025-2026 Youth Dialogue Embassies (Embajadas del Diálogo con la Juventud 2025–2026) initiative, managed by INJUVE and the CJE, is a recent example of youth participation in decision-making. This program enables young people to represent their peers and engage directly with policymakers to influence policies affecting youth. It is part of Spain's commitment to fostering e-participation through structured, digital dialogue frameworks.

8. Trade Union Youth Participation Campaigns

Initiated in 2004 by the Youth Secretariat of Workers’ Commissioners (Secretaría de Juventud de Comisiones Obreras - CCOO), together with the Spanish Youth Council (Consejo de la Juventud de España, CJE), these campaigns use social media to encourage youth participation in labour unions, particularly to address precarious employment and job scarcity. 

The 2016 campaign  under the hashtag #DoNotResignYourselfOrganise (#NoTeResignesOrganízate), focused on urging young people to confront the issue of job insecurity by participating in union activities. This initiative utilizes Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to reach young workers and students, aiming to increase union membership and activism among the youth population.

National data or studies

While there is no specific national data or studies directly linking e-participation with youth political engagement in Spain, the Youth Report in Spain 2020 by INJUVE revealed that the average youth participation rate in various elections is about 70%, with greater participation seen in general elections compared to local or regional elections. 

Although there is no concrete link between e-participation and actual voting rates, these insights highlight ongoing challenges in engaging youth politically, particularly in areas where e-participation could be impactful.