{"id":98642,"date":"2019-05-13T14:59:30","date_gmt":"2019-05-13T12:59:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=98642"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:23:19","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:23:19","slug":"vote-compass-helps-young-people-cast-their-ballot-in-eu-elections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2019\/05\/13\/vote-compass-helps-young-people-cast-their-ballot-in-eu-elections\/","title":{"rendered":"Vote compass helps young people cast their ballot in EU elections"},"content":{"rendered":"

Turnout for the European elections has traditionally been very low among young voters. This needs to change, according to Nationale Jeugdraad. A special vote compass (Jongerenkieswijzer) developed by the youth organisation is intended to lure more under-25s to the voting booth.<\/p>\n

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During the last European parliamentary elections, only 18 percent of the Netherlands\u2019 youngest voters cast their ballot \u2013 roughly half the general average. \u201cAs young people, we\u2019re already a minority as it is. On top of which far fewer of us cast our vote. Our interests are poorly represented as a result,\u201d says Luce van Kempen. Van Kempen is president of Nationale Jeugdraad (NJR), the Netherlands\u2019 umbrella organisation<\/a><\/u>\u00a0for national youth associations.<\/p>\n

Gay marriage<\/h2>

But how to draw young people to the polling station on 23 May? The first step is to shed light on the various political parties and their positions via a dedicated vote compass: the Jongerenkieswijzer<\/a> (<\/u>Dutch only). This online voting advice application \u2013 launched in 2014 \u2013 is an initiative of NJR and the innovation agency IZI Solutions.<\/p>\n

After responding to 20 different policy propositions, prospective voters are offered a Top 3 of the parties that align the best with their political views. \u201cThe vote compass was made by young people themselves, focusing on the themes most relevant to them,\u201d says Van Kempen. Should companies based in the EU be allowed to trade with countries that violate human rights? Should all EU member states introduce gay marriage? Or should the EU be tougher on the illegal downloading of content for personal use?<\/p>\n

Unpaid internships<\/h2>

After responding to each of the propositions, the user is offered an overview of the different parties\u2019 positions regarding the issues in question. In some cases, most parties see more or less eye to eye \u2013 the further expansion of the European exchange programme Erasmus+, for example. The only parties to disagree on that particular point are PVV and Forum voor Democratie.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s less agreement when it comes to the issue of unpaid internships. Should the EU take action against this trend? Jobs that used to be handled by paid employees or new hires have been restyled as \u2018work experience programmes\u2019 or \u2018traineeships\u2019, according to the explanation included with the vote compass. In the view of PVV, VVD, CDA, CU\/SGP, Forum and SP, it\u2019s up to individual members states to decide whether this is acceptable. GroenLinks, PvdD, DENK, 50PLUS and PvdA, on the other hand, believe the EU should get involved and promote fair reimbursement guidelines.<\/p>\n\n\t

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Read more about the European Union<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t