DENISE LACHAT What do young people want in a large, highly urbanised Swiss city? In Zurich, for example, they want open gyms, greenery on building sites, concessions for cultural and leisure events, meals and public transport. They have real prospects of seeing these dreams come true. Last autumn, Zurich city parliament approved a total of seven procedural requests by young people. The ball is now with the city council: it must decide by autumn 2026 exactly how to give the youth what they want. Zurich listens to its young people Procedural requests from the young are a political instrument launched by the city of Zurich with its 2022 pilot project “Euses Züri – Kinder und Jugendliche reden mit!”, which translates as “Our Zurich – children and der than we are and won’t have to live with the consequences of today’s decisions for as long as we will.” The young people in the city of Thun also have a voice. Teenagers (aged 13 to 18) have been able to bring requests to the city parliament since 2014, proviHow do the young see their future? What do they dream about? What concerns them? Switzerland’s young people can answer these questions themselves, when they have a political voice. youth have their say”. It aims to provide young people with an opportunity to contribute their ideas for society in the political arena. About 90 people aged between 12 and 18 meet at youth conferences and cooperate with members of the city parliament in working out the details of their procedural requests. They then present their arguments in parliament. Ricarda Barman is one such person. The 15-year-old secondary school pupil attended last year’s youth conference and she will tell politicians why property owners must receive assistance with the installation of solar panels. “Oil and gas are more urgently needed elsewhere. As they are not renewable, they need to be used sparingly,” she told “Swiss Review”. Barman approves of young people participating in politics. “Giving us young people in Zurich a voice is a real step forward. Most politicians are much olThe anxiety and political awakening of Switzerland’s youth ARYA KAYA Erstwhile refugee who sought refuge in Switzerland and discovered political participation thanks to the “Zukunftsrat U24”. She now sees herself as a game-changer. Photo provided Swiss Review / July 2025 / No.3 4 Focus
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