Political Youth Organisations and Alcohol Policy in Nordic Countries
Political youth organisations and alcohol policy in Nordic countries Project report 2019/2020 Nordic Alcohol and Drug Policy Network www.nordan.org THIS is not a scientific study. It has never aimed to be one. This is advocacy groups attempt to analyse the developments in societies and in a way to predict where are we heading in the next five or ten years. The prediction aspect of this is because we are focusing on young people. And even more, on politically active young people. They are, at least theoretically, the ones making the decisions of tomorrow. Are they the future ministers, prime ministers, party leaders, high officials? Probably, yes. They are going to decide the future of the political parties, and as we are finding out, they give their best to do it already today. Perhaps more than ever, the youth voice is critical in today's policymaking. "Politics is in realignment. And perhaps the most underappreciated change is this: Based on recent research at Tufts University's Tisch College of Civic Life, young voters, ages 18- 29, played a significant role in the 2018 midterms and are poised to shape elections in 2020 and beyond." CNN on January 2, 2020, looking at the US presidential elections. Every Nordic country is discussing or already experimenting with lowering the voting age, thus involving younger people in our democratic processes. That will mean that political parties will listen more and more what young are saying, what they support and are interested in. Youth matter. Today more than ever before. For us, to understand the motives and interests of young people, it will be easier to predict the next steps and the future developments.
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