Govt ‘absolutely committed to promoting young people’s rights’
The government is “absolutely committed to promoting young people’s rights”, European Affairs Deputy Minister Marilena Raouna said on Saturday.
Speaking at a European youth parliament dialogue forum, she said the government’s programme “has a specific pillar which exclusively concerns the younger generation and its emancipation.”
She added that the government is focused on “ensuring the rights and freedoms of young people and providing them with more opportunities and an active role in the decision-making process and in participatory democracy.”
In this regard, she said, the government is already carrying out ongoing initiatives. The government declared 2024 the “national year of youth”, and Raouna said it intends to submit a bill to parliament to lower the minimum voting age from 18 to 17.
At the same time, the government is holding an online referendum on the same subject, with voting open until April 7.
Raouna also made reference to the “important role of young people in the European elections,” which are set to take place on June 9, and “the need to have a say through their vote on European events.”
With this in mind, she pointed out that European parliament president Roberta Metsola is set to visit Cyprus on Tuesday, and said she is “fully in line with the discussions which are taking place.”
Looking ahead to June’s elections, she said the government has “adopted targeted measures to maintain and expand the growing trend of voter participation, especially among young people.”
This, she said, has been done by “making use of the technology which allows electronic voter registration, but also by enhancing the participation of Turkish Cypriot voters through information campaigns.”
“Our vote, your vote, counts. Exercising the democratic right to vote gives you the right to chose how our common European future is shaped, as well as the right to effective representation in decision-making processes,” she said.
In addition, she looked ahead to Cyprus’ presidency of the European Council, which is set to take place in the first half of 2026.
“The Cypriot presidency is a great challenge, but at the same time it is an even greater opportunity for Cyprus, for all Cypriots,” she said.
She added, “the Cypriot presidency’s strength will be the Cypriot people.”