Between 4 and 7 June 2009, the citizens of the EU will, for the 7th time, directly elect their representatives in the European Parliament. The European Parliament is playing an ever more important role in EU decision-making and is becoming a true co-legislator, co-deciding on a wide range of legislation that affects EU citizens. However, since the first direct elections to the European Parliament in 1979, turnout numbers have consistently fallen, to below 50% in 2004. In many countries, even smaller percentages of young people found their way to the polling stations. It will be important to reverse this trend: a higher turnout of young people at the upcoming elections will be of crucial importance, both to strengthen democracy in the EU and to add force to the voice of youth in the European Union.

Many youth councils and youth organisations across the EU are committed to ensuring that young people will make their voices heard during the European Parliament elections in June. They are running campaigns and organising a multitude of activities to raise awareness of upcoming elections and to encourage young people to vote. The YFJ is supporting and contributing to these campaigns, and is providing a common umbrella for the get-out-the-vote effort of youth organisations. At the same time, the YFJ is working with the European Parliament and the European Commission, in order to contribute to the institutional campaigns.

On these web pages, you can find information about—and links to—the initiatives of youth organisations and youth councils across the EU. All are aimed at showing one thing in June: young people vote!