The browser you are using is not supported by this website. All versions of Internet Explorer are no longer supported, either by us or Microsoft (read more here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/windows/end-of-ie-support).

Please use a modern browser to fully experience our website, such as the newest versions of Edge, Chrome, Firefox or Safari etc.

Empowering or Simulating Participation? A Case Study on the EU’s Citizens’ Engagement Platform and Youth Political Engagement in Sweden

På svenska

Author

  • Denisa Oravcová

Summary, in English

This thesis explores whether the EU’s newly launched Citizens’ Engagement Platform (CEP) can enhance young people’s intention to participate in representative democracy and whether it reinforces or challenges the EU’s liberal demoi-cratic model. Workshops with Swedish upper secondary school students, developed and analyzed using Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behavior, served as the empirical basis. Findings suggest that while intention to participate in representative democracy remains stable, even short-term exposure to the CEP can enhance young people’s confidence and understanding regarding political participation overall, though shifts in attitudes and subjective norms were less consistent. Girls reported stronger social influences, greater voting intentions and higher perceived importance of EU political engagement. Although students generally viewed the platform positively, its moderated format and limited impact on policy highlight a gap between EU goals for enhanced citizen participation and its liberal demoi-cratic model, which encourages engagement but ultimately mediates it, much like the limited impact of other participatory tools like the European Citizens’ Initiative. In conclusion, the CEP may increase young people’s confidence, understanding and perceived ability to engage in EU democratic processes, but ultimately offers limited opportunities for them to make a direct impact within the EU’s current democratic framework.

Department/s

Publishing year

2025

Language

English

Document type

Student publication for Master's degree (two years)

Topic

  • Social Sciences

Keywords

  • youth political participation
  • European Union
  • Citizens’ Engagement Platform
  • Theory of Planned Behavior
  • EU participatory tools
  • demoi-cracy
  • European Studies
  • European democracy

Supervisor

  • Anamaria Dutceac Segesten (Biträdande Lektor)