Generation next has more power than it realises

YOUNG people are disengaged with politics.

A National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) survey found only 64% of people aged 18 to 21 are registered to vote.

Only 20% of young people have ever met a local TD or councillor. There is a strong case to be made for why young people should vote. As well as being a right, voting is also a responsibility.

Voting ensures the right people are elected to lead our democracy.

Voting makes a powerful difference. In 2000, Republican George W Bush won the US presidential election by 537 votes. Democrat Al Gore would have been seen as far more friendly to the needs of younger voters, who tend to be more progressive and liberal in their political beliefs. One has to wonder if a few more younger voters had turned out in 2000 and voted for Al Gore, would the world be a much different place today?

That said, in 2008, young voters aged between 18 and 29 voted in record numbers. They voted mostly for Barack Obama. If the turnout among young people had not been so high, Obama could have lost the race. Even this year, the young voter “turnout” on the streets of Egypt led to the end of President Mubarak’s long reign.

Young people have a huge stake in the issues being decided by our political leaders. The current generation of young people have the most at stake.

Issues to do with the IMF/EU bailout will hit our generation the most. We will be paying back the debt in 30 years from now. Older voters are not directly affected by college fees and rent increases, and are les invested in issues facing young people.

At the moment, young people vote less than other groups. Thus, most politicians spend less time appealing to the unique needs of younger votes. This leads to a vicious cycle where young people feel they are being ignored by politicians and this makes them less likely to vote. If politicians paid more attention to young people, it could help to increase young voter turnout.

Fine Gael has attempted a policy of engaging younger voters. The party leader Enda Kenny famously appeared in an online video which was ridiculed and mocked by the media.

A Fine Gael spokesman had earlier said: “We seek to communicate directly with the electorate.”

Many saw Fine Gael’s attempts as a poor man’s version of Barack Obama’s historic presidential campaign in 2008. Obama was elected after a major internet drive which allowed many Americans to donate to his campaign and actively canvass support for him.

Fine Gael are probably hoping the internet will bring them similar success. It is unlikely that this will come to fruition. Most young people I have spoken to are planning on voting for the Labour Party.

Therefore, given that young people have the most at stake in this general election, we should use our voice to the best of our ability. We have the opportunity to change the direction of our country.