While in the past political engagement of citizens was mainly channeled through activism in political parties (membership, voluntary work, door-door campaigning, attending meetings etc.), the last decade has shown that political parties are facing difficulties in attracting new party members, and in particular young people.[i] The 2016 UN Global Youth Report shows that political party membership is less prevalent among those under the age of 30 than among older adults. Only 4.1 percent of 18–29-year-olds are active party members, compared with 5 percent of all adults.[ii] See Youth and Political Parties.
[i] UNDP, Youth and Democratic Citizenship in East and South East Asia.
In Europe, the European Youth Forum perceives the decline in youth party membership in the region as one of the core problems in institutional politics. Research conducted in 2014 by International IDEA reveals that across the continent, as few as 2 per cent of young people are members of a political party. Deželan, “Young People and Democratic Life in Europe.”
Results from the 2015 AfroBarometer show that youth participation in election campaigns remains limited in Africa. On average, 34 per cent of youth attended campaign rallies or meetings in 2014, the year preceding the survey, and only 23 per cent tried to persuade others to vote for a certain candidate or party. In East Africa, 51 per cent of youth said they attended campaign rallies or meetings. North African youth had by far the lowest levels of participation, with 12 per cent reporting having attended a campaign event and 11 per cent having tried to influence other voters. AfroBarometer, Dispatch no. 41, (AfroBarometer, 2015).
[ii]UN-DESA, World Youth Report 2016.
