The emotional EU campaign to call on young people to vote in the European elections: “Democracy should never be taken for granted”

“Always remember that freedom and democracy did not always exist hereand that we can lose them very quickly.” It is impossible not to be overwhelmed by a testimony like this, especially when it is given by people who have survived stages as difficult as the Second World War or the repression in the Soviet Union.

And that sentimental impact is what the European Parliament wanted to cause in its latest campaign, the second before the European elections from June 6 to 9in which he highlights the importance of voting and safeguarding democracy.

under the slogan “Use your vote. If not, others will decide for you.”Brussels has deployed, in addition to the video shown above, a series of media events, digital outreach, participation of public and private partners, social commitment initiatives and educational programs.

“Democracy should never be taken for granted. It should always be supported and protected,” says a voice in the video, which includes testimonies from old people from different EU countries who tell future generations about their experiences. Some as hard as the story of a girl who saw her mother die lying on top of her to protect her: “Imagine see your mother die to protect you; You don’t forget that,” says a World War II survivor.

A campaign focused on the young vote

It may sound old, but the rise of the extreme right is very worrying in the European Parliament, which has focused his campaign on calling for the young vote.

Youth participation in the previous European elections in June 2019 was 41% in those under 25 years of age, almost ten points less than the 50.6% of the general participation throughout the Union, or twenty of the 61% of Spaniards who voted. There was somewhat less difference in the second group of young Europeans, between 25 and 39 years old, of which 47% participated.

And in these times of so much audiovisual impact, in which it is difficult to capture the attention of young people, the EU has drawn on grandparents to try strike a chord. Let no one decide for them, before it’s too late.