How the youngest member of the European Parliament can make an impact

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be the voice of young people in a Parliament, where the average age of the politicians is 50 years old?

Kira Marie Peter Hansen is the youngest ever elected member of the European Parliament. At 21 years old, she was elected in 2019 for the Danish Socialist People’s Party. In the European Parliament, she belongs to the Group of the Greens. Kira is a member of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs. She focuses on getting climate change policies to be included into all areas of legislation including the economy, trade policy and the labour market.

While Europe’s population is aging, young people are increasingly taking action to influence policies at all levels - through elected positions, as individuals, informal groups, and through youth-led organizations. What is it like to run for elections and become a member of one of the biggest parliaments at age 21? How has the youngest MEP in history been able to make an impact so far? What lessons about governance can be learnt from this unique perspective? Do young politicians face different issues and challenges than older ones, and what barriers still exist? What are the benefits of having young voices represented in politics? 

If you are curious to learn more about what goes on within the European Parliament from the perspective of a young MEP, join us on 3 March at 16:00.