On 29 October 2025, the Congress became a living laboratory for the democracy of the future. On the occasion of the adoption of the new European Charter on the Participation of Young People in Local and Regional Life, a round table discussion moderated by Belgian youth delegate Reinout Vermaercke highlighted the need for radical change in political life in favour of youth participation. More than forty projects led by youth delegates at the end of their term of office in the Congress were presented, illustrating a proactive generation determined to influence local decisions.
Democracy cannot reinvent itself without including young people. For Alison Zerafa Civelli, Parliamentary Secretary for Local Authorities in Malta, the main obstacle is not young people's lack of interest, but the lack of spaces where their voices carry real weight. She mentions the example of Malta, where the voting age and eligibility for local elections have been lowered to 16, stimulating civic engagement and political creativity.
Véronique Bertholle, Deputy Mayor of Strasbourg and thematic spokesperson for the Congress on Youth, called for a change in political culture: as long as young people are perceived as apprentice citizens, ‘nothing will change’. The current generation, faced with economic, health and ecological crises, no longer wants to be a spectator. Nina Grmusa, Chair of the Council of Europe's Youth Advisory Council, urged local authorities to increase the number of consultative spaces, training programmes and integration mechanisms.
The 42 projects presented — ranging from civic workshops to podcasts, educational games and anti-corruption campaigns — mobilised more than 3,500 young people, demonstrating that democracy is not a legacy to be preserved but a living project, where the trust placed in young people is transformed into democratic responsibility and creativity.
Youth participation: Shaping Europe’s democratic future
Participate to transform - young people claim their place at the decision-makers' table
***
