By implementing this project, we aimed to educate young people about the various electoral mechanisms and the stakes involved in elections. Our goal was to help them better understand complex electoral systems such as plurality, majoritarian, proportional, and mixed systems. Through the creation of an interactive online platform and a board game, we sought to make learning about these systems engaging and accessible, fostering greater civic participation among youth. Ultimately, we wanted to promote active citizenship by equipping young people, especially those with fewer opportunities, with the knowledge and tools to become more involved in democratic processes and civil life.
We applied for this project because we were concerned about the rise of radicalism in Europe. We found that many Europeans, particularly young people, feel disconnected from the electoral process, leading to low turnout, particularly in regional and European elections. This disengagement allows radical political discourse to flourish with little opposition. Practical obstacles, such as unclear electoral registration procedures, also discourage participation. Young people are often drivers of social change, but their political engagement rarely translates into electoral participation. Our project aimed to create educational tools to help young people understand the importance of voting, reaching both politically engaged young people and those excluded from civic life. The four partner organisations worked together to address low youth participation, seeking to understand why previous efforts had not been successful and to develop new strategies. Our project has equipped young people with the understanding they need to engage in democratic processes and combat electoral disinterest.