Swiss Review 4/2021

Swiss Review / August 2021 / No.4 9 responsibility for these decisions. So why do people still think that young people like me aren’t mature enough to have their own political opinions? It doesn’t make any sense. Of course, some history teachers are better than others. But I think we do learn quite a bit at school about politics in Switzerland. More than enough to be able to vote. INTERVIEW BY JÜRG STEINER I would like to become a member of parliament in the National Council. Bringing about real change is a prospect that excites me. For example, I want our economic system to be more liberal and climate-friendly. When in doubt, I always choose the most efficient option: I travel to school by bus, although the journey takes twice as long as riding there on my bike. But I can read the newspaper on the way. You certainly need a bit of luck to be elected to parlia- ment, but I am a keen, effective, quick-witted debater – which is not a bad thing to be. I have sat in the youth parliament of the city of Berne for over two years, where we have been calling for the voting age to be lowered to 16. The matter is currently with Berne’s cantonal parliament. When I have finished school, I want to tour through Japan on foot with a friend. I am fascinated that a country so far away can, fromwhat I read, be so simi- lar to us in terms of its culture. Both the Swiss and the Japanese tend to be a bit reserved, but friendly once you get to know them. At the moment, I am learning Japanese with the help of online videos. And saving money for the trip. I don’t have a lot of money yet, because I don’t have a job. There simply isn’t enough time for everything. INTERVIEW BY FL AVIA VON GUNTEN Jason Steinmann Born in 2005, living in Ittigen near Berne, and a pupil at Neufeld upper secondary school in Berne. Jason takes part in his school’s theatre productions because he enjoys acting out new parts. Moritz Würtenberg Born in 2005, living in Küttigen (canton of Aargau), and a pupil at lower secondary school in Aarau. This summer, Moritz will begin a three-year apprenticeship as a chemical laboratory technician. none of us have protection on – it makes you much too hot. Helmets and knee guards aren’t really our style. You need to have an instinct for these things. Some days you feel good and pull off difficult tricks. On other days, it’s better not to overdo it. They say that young people are not interested in politics or are not ready to vote at the age of 16. But I know that my friends and I often chat about political issues. Why wouldn’t we? Maybe not about party politics, but things that affect our future such as the fight against climate change. And I have already made important personal decisions related to my apprenticeship, for example. I take