Across the world, young people are often overlooked in political processes. For example, 60% of Africa’s population is aged under 25, but the median age of its leaders is 62. Meanwhile in Europe, political scientists are increasingly concerned about the effects of an ageing population which numerically marginalizes the concerns of younger voters. Low youth turnout during elections is frequently cited as evidence that the young are too apathetic to participate in democracy. However, these demographic realities suggest that even if electoral turnout were higher among young people, their opinions would still struggle to effect change through traditional political processes.
