Brussels, 08/06/2004 (Agence Europe) - 85.2% of youth interviewed during an on-line opinion poll carried out by the European Youth Forum (900 young people interviewed throughout the Union) indicated that they were going to vote in the European elections this week (instead of 49% of Europeans of all ages put together according to the latest EP poll: EUROPE 5 June p 6). In a press statement, the Forum explained that out of the young people interviewed (18-30), those who were going to vote for the first time were most motivated about voting. Another interesting response: most young people said that the written press was the best source of information for the European elections, much more so than television.
However, most young people consider the EU and its institutions will not be able to represent them on an individual level. According to Giacomo Filibeck, president of the European Youth Forum, this demonstrates that young people trust the European Union but they are sending out a clear message - the integration process has to stimulated in order to become a genuine Europe of citizens.
(For more information: http: //http://www.youthdecide.com/mediaen.php ).