A report titled “The democratic perception of youth” has revealed a worrying trend among young people between the ages of 16 and 29 in Argentina. According to the study carried out by the Argentina Futura platform, in collaboration with the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO), 40% of this age group feels a marked lack of political representation.
The report was based on a sample of 863 cases nationwide with a confidence level of 95%. His goal was understand the vision and demands of young people regarding politics and elections STEP, which this year will have the participation of 14,326,174 voters between the ages of 16 and 35, representing more than 40% of the electoral roll. Of this figure, two million young people will vote for the first time in a presidential election.
The results of the The report reveals a growing concern in the youth segment, which faces difficulties in deciding which candidates to vote for. The sociologist and head of the Argentina Futura program, Nahuel Sosa, said in an interview with the newspaper Argentinian time that the pandemic deepened variables that influenced this political discontent. The economic crisis, the lack of care and some stigmatization of youth during the period of isolation contributed to the concrete rejection of traditional political expressions.
The main demands of young people focus on the education and work. Academic training is perceived as a fundamental pillar for progress, and the 33% of those surveyed urgently demand a higher educational quality.
However, surprisingly, they do not see professionalization as a guarantee for job placement. The report highlights that The young people surveyed face difficulties in accessing work, which generates uncertainty about their future.
The lack of confidence in the political structure of the country is another of the conclusions of the report. 44% of those surveyed said they felt uncertain about the future of the country, while 14% adopted a pessimistic view of the coming years. The young, contrary to the wishes of the traditional parties, see the political structure as the only one responsible for the country’s malfunctioning. In addition, they expressed strong indignation towards the State for its inability to resolve recurring problems and conflicts.
Mental health is also a concern highlighted in the report. The psychological effects of the pandemic and economic difficulties have led to a deterioration in the mental health of many young people. Access to adequate housing is another problem that affects the mental health of young people, since precarious working conditions prevent them from paying rent or aspiring to buy their own home.
Despite these questions, the sociologist Nahuel Sosa stresses that young people do not reject the state itself, but rather its use. Young people think that the State is necessary, but they want it to focus on more specific areas such as education and healthinstead of social assistance, which does not solve the structural problems related to work.
This report highlights the importance of listening to the voices of young people and addressing their concerns and demands on the political agenda. The lack of political representation perceived by this age segment is a call to reflection for political leaders, who must work to rebuild the trust and participation of youth in the country’s democratic process.
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