The Importance of Political Education for Young Voters in 2024

It is not without reason that the year 2024 is called the year of high elections. In addition to the National Council election, the state elections in Styria and Vorarlberg are also coming up in the autumn. At the European level, parliamentary elections will be held in June. But things will not only be exciting from a political perspective in Europe; a president will also be elected in the United States. And this will not only be seen in America, but will affect Europe as well.

Many of those who go to the polls will be doing so for the first time in one of these elections. But what can young people relate to and how can they know which party best represents their interests when at the same time they hear that their interest in politics has run its course -out? Does it really make sense to give part of the future to young people by giving them the right to vote? The question of whether voting age and the ability to take responsibility go together is becoming more common.

Don’t mix things up

“There are 18-year-olds who have no idea about politics, and there are 15-year-olds who know it very well,” says Peter Gorke, a history teacher at the high school in Fürstenfeld, from experience. What is essential is political socialism at an early age. If we succeed in raising interest in political decisions, it will definitely have a positive effect.

But how do young people get their information? “I get most of my information from my parents,” says one student, receiving broad approval from her classmates. What is not easy – as all students surveyed at Fürstenfeld high school agree – is filtering the information. Especially the ones you get on social media. “Often you can’t tell if it’s a inflammatory article or plain facts,” they agree, but at the same time they also know how important it is to pay attention to the sources of the information. coming After all, social media images of individual politicians are becoming increasingly popular as a way to reach young people. “In this way they also want to influence our views,” the students are sure and believe, “by participating in the current trends, politicians try to improve their popularity and increase.”

The teaching subject itself

However, political education is sometimes neglected in the classroom. The idea of ​​a separate teaching topic that deals with the basics of political science and beyond has been around for a long time. However, it is far from being implemented in general in all schools. “It’s important that young people know that it would be great to introduce their own subject,” said Martin Steiner, director of the Fürstenfeld high school. The aim is to achieve an understanding and interest in politics with – teach objectively, to filter out biases and facts and encourage students to think critically young people,” said Steiner. Issues such as environmental protection, social justice, training opportunities, religious freedom and economic stability concern and accompany everyone on a daily basis and affect the more the career and the future of the children all agree why there is an urgent need for political education in schools.