Study ranks Ireland 18th over youth political participation

Ireland has ranked 18th out of over 140 countries worldwide in terms of youth participation in political, economic and civic life, according to the first study of its kind.
The Global Youth Participation Index (GYPI) found that Ireland had an average score of 75% across a range of areas, including the socio-economic dimension, civil society, politics and electoral participation (the report defines youth as the 15-30 age group).
This puts Ireland on a par with Latvia, Estonia, Slovenia and South Korea.
However, participation in the electoral process is more moderate, with younger people less likely to vote in national elections compared to older voters, although turnout is higher in national referenda.
"The Socio-Economic dimension score is especially high at 93%, driven by universal access to quality education, strong youth employment rates, and government programmes focused on skills development and social protection," the report states.
"Ireland also has a good score in the Civic Space dimension: 85%, with a wide network of youth-led organisations and state-backed initiatives encouraging early and sustained engagement."
The study highlights local councils such as Comhairle na nÓg as giving young people a formal voice in municipal decision-making, while national youth platforms "amplify campaigns on mental health, climate action, gender equality and social justice".
It concludes: "This emphasis on participatory structures from an early age has helped normalise civic engagement as a regular part of Irish youth life."
However, young people fall short in being able to influence politics with "limited access to formal power" and "few clear pathways … for young people to transition into national political roles".
While political parties have youth wings, these typically operate in advisory roles with minimal influence on leadership decisions, the report finds.
It also notes that young members of the Travelling community and migrants are "especially under-represented".
The study was carried out under the auspices of the European Commission's civic engagement project and led by the European Partnership for Democracy (EPD).
"The brand new tool based on a first-ever global index shows that young people are engaged and willing, but too often excluded," said Gwennaelle Joret, Programme Manager at EPD.
"It gives the EU and its partners the evidence to act."
Of the 141 countries polled, European countries rank highly, with Norway, Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands among the top performers.
However, youth representation in politics remains low across most countries, including in high-scoring EU member states.
Globally, while international and supranational organisations have recognised the value of youth participation, young people themselves are blamed by critics for not taking part in political, economic and civic life.
However, the report rejects these findings.
"Research on youth participation in decision-making processes, and the words and actions of young people around the world, show that they are not disengaged or disinterested, but often face insurmountable barriers when trying to fully participate.
"Put another way, young people tend to be locked out of political processes rather than supported to engage in them, which can lead to their alienation and disappointment in government and state institutions - while being blamed for not doing more to engage in the democratic process."
The authors suggest that from Bangladesh to Zimbabwe, and Paraguay to Serbia, young people have recently been on the frontline of demonstrations and movements for democratic, just and non-corrupt governments.
Despite that, they are often restricted from the political process by age limits and the denial of employment, training and internet access.
"Worse still, young demonstrators face extreme brutality. During and in the aftermath of the youth-led protests in Kenya against the 2024 Finance Bill and government corruption, for example, young people were arrested, tortured, and in some cases killed."
Researchers canvassed youth experience across the four dimensions of Socio-Economic, Civic Space, Political Affairs and Elections, to assess where youth are thriving and where urgent reform is needed.
The survey was developed by researchers from the University of Birmingham, University of Amsterdam and Merrimack College.

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