On 10 November, ALDE Party held the sixth and last event of its Manifesto town hall series in Riga, Latvia, on the fringes of the European Liberal Youth (LYMEC)’s Autumn Congress. 

ALDE Party Vice-President Kira Rudik, leader of ALDE Party member Golos in Ukraine, and LYMEC President Dan-Aria Sucuri, member of ALDE Party’s Manifesto Drafting Committee, exchanged with over 100 participants on the priorities for young citizens ahead of the European elections next year.  

Participants were interested in knowing how to increase youth participation in European democracy and improve turnout at elections, including potentially lowering the voting age to below 18 years old following the examples of Austria, Germany and Malta and Greece at next year’s election. 

Finally, guests discussed how liberals can take action on rule of law breaches in Europe, strengthen the EU’s security and defence systems, continue supporting Ukraine and approach the situation in Israel and Gaza. 

The event in Latvia followed previous instalments in Italy, Denmark, Bulgaria, Portugal and Lithuania as part of ALDE Party’s consultation process for its 2024 European elections manifesto. The outcome of these discussions will feed into the ALDE Party Manifesto drafting process. 

Tonight’s town hall on our 2024 Manifesto is happening now at the @LYMEC Congress in Riga!

Here to listen to youth on the most important issues for Europe’s future 🇪🇺#ALDEParty Vice-President @kiraincongress welcomes participants 👇 pic.twitter.com/KAVo1iEZpJ

— ALDE Party (@ALDEParty) November 10, 2023