Albania: Youth and Politics

How to engage young people in the political debate? It was the main topic discussed yesterday on the ?Open Youth Forum? in Tirana organized by the Albanian Coalition for the Promotion of Women, Youth and Minorities in politics and various associations and young divisions of the political parties.

There were more than 30 boys and girls yesterday in Tirana to compare their ideas with the representatives of the main Albanian parties. The first topic discussed was the ?role of the young people to the last political election (February 2007). ?They participate less than in previous elections? pointed out Mrs. Megi Ajtyresa, chair of the Youth Forum of the Socialist Party. ?But they run as candidates at the local level? precized Mr Mr. Gazmend Kodizi, of the Youth Forum of Democratic partyin power in this moment. The representative of coalition of three parties (Social Democratics, New Democratics and Democratic Alliance), instead, provoked the assembly raising the problem of the ?use? of young people in electoral campaigns (more for gains of older politicians rather than participation and representation of young people in political processes).

These are some of the problems raised on the Forum. During this meeting young people and political representaves spoke about the role of the young people in the process of integration in the European Union. The idea of creating an umbrella coordination with political and non-political youth movements in Albania was also discussed.

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