On a typical afternoon in my hometown, nestled in Northern Italy, as I’m chatting with my friends, it is rather natural for the topic of the upcoming European elections to arise. “So, are you planning to vote this June?” I ask, only for my question to be met with a shrug and a dismissive response; “Vote? Why bother? What’s the point anyway?”
This sentiment echoes across countless discussions with my peers, reflecting a broader trend of political disengagement among young Italians. While I am more exposed to the political discourse, as many fellow students within Bocconi University’s academic environment are, many of my friends remain unaffected by debates on public policies and their real-world implications.
Throughout my high-school years, politics was perceived as a taboo-subject, rarely brought up in classrooms or casual conversations. Instead, we grew up with the notion that politics belonged to a distant realm, detached from our daily lives; this sentiment couldn’t be further away from the truth. Politics should be inclusive, drawing young people in, yet it often feels exclusive and inaccessible to most of us.
This detachment manifests in the voter turnout rates, as highlighted by ANSA’s report on Italy’s 2022 general election, which recorded a historic low of 63.95% in overall turnout. Shockingly, this figure plummeted nine points from the 2018 election, signaling a worrying trend of political apathy resonating throughout the country. For many young Italians, casting a ballot in the 2022 national election marked their inaugural step into civic duty. Nevertheless, SWG’s data shows abstention rates among young voters (ages 18 to 34) slightly surpassing the total average, at 37%.
The idea of shaping our country’s future seems out of reach because many people feel disheartened and indifferent. In light of this, the turnout for European elections, also called the second-order elections, is expected to be even lower (slightly more than 50%).
The struggle for political relevance isn’t new. Italy’s history bears witness to the challenging journey towards democratic participation, including the hard-fought battle for women’s suffrage. The recent cinematic depiction of this struggle in the film “C’è Ancora Domani” directed by Paola Cortellesi serves as a touching reminder of the sacrifices made to secure the right to vote, a right which now seems to be tossed in the bin by many of today’s youth.
It’s dispiriting for me to witness this prevailing attitude among young voters, the very individuals meant to embody and represent the future and hope of our nation. Yet, this pervasive sense of “political nothingness” persists, representing the disinterest and reluctance towards politics that plagues our generation.
But there’s still hope. There are movements and advocacy campaigns trying to ignite a spark of political consciousness among young Italians. Institutions like Bocconi University are trying to get students talking about these issues, empowering them to become agents of change in their communities. The European Parliament itself is carrying out a campaign called together.ue, urging young people to go out and vote in the upcoming elections on June 6-9, 2024.
According to the final turnout data for the 2019 European elections published by the European Parliament, those elections were shaped by a significant increase in voter turnout. 50.66% was, in fact, the highest turnout since 1994 European elections and showed a striking increase by 8.06 percentage points from 2014 (when the turnout was 42.60%). Even though older people still remained more likely to vote than young people, the increase between 2014 and 2019 was larger among young electors aged under 25 (42%, +14 pp) and aged 25–39 (47%, +12pp), when compared with those aged 55 or over (54%, +3 pp). So, this raises the question: what will happen this year?
As we get closer to another big vote, it’s important that we tackle the problem of political apathy among young people. We, young voters, need to realize that our voices matter and that we can make a difference. We have to shake our apathy off and get involved.
In the face of this political nothingness, let us rise to the occasion, casting aside our indifference in favor of active engagement. Let’s remember the powerful words from “C’è Ancora Domani”: “Stringete le schede come fossero biglietti d’amore”, urging us to clench to our ballots as if they were tokens of love for our country and our fellow citizens.
Inspired by this message, let’s break the silence and reclaim our voice, because it’s only when we all get involved that we can really bring democracy back to life, creating a better future for everyone.
I’m Sveva Rossi, I have a bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Business, and now I'm pursuing studies in Politics and Policy Analysis as a first year master’s student.
As an organized and inquisitive person, my experiences abroad have consistently pushed me to engage with diverse cultures, which fascinates me greatly.
My interests, both on paper and in conversation, include politics, especially within the European institutions, economics, and equality. I'm also an enthusiastic Formula 1 racing fan.
