Young people and the new political scenario of 2024

“It's not enough to just want change…
You must go and make change through the vote.” Taylor Swift.

In the actual public stagethe alleged lack of interest of the youth by participate in the electoral processes, even going so far as to belittle their importance with discouraging statements such as “young people are a waste of time” or “don't trust that they are the future.” We, with indignation and fatigue, reaffirm the opposite. The youth owns a relevance undeniable, since he shows a deep interest in transcendental matters for this historic election and unpublished and, without a doubt, constitute a fundamental pillar for the future of our beloved Mexico.

In Mexicothe electoral participation has been historically lowwith an average of 35% abstentionism in the last three elections. This trend contrasts markedly with the performance of other Latin American countries in the 2018 elections, where Mexico barely reached 63.4% of voters, while Uruguay shined with an impressive 90.1%, followed by Bolivia with a solid 88.4% and Argentina with a respectable 81.3%, according to research carried out by Statista in 2020.

Despite this challenge, the 2024 elections are seen as an unprecedented scenario in the current political landscape. The arrival of our first president marks a transcendental milestone in the history of our country, amidst the continuity of the predominance of the left in Mexico.

In addition to the maelstrom of unprecedented crises that did not exist before or were not so severe, which range from the environmental and water crisis to the alarming loss of biodiversity, and the great challenge represented by the emergence of artificial intelligence, a situation that the recognized Historian Yuval Noah Harari has noted it as a threat to humanity.

These are issues that resonate deeply in the hearts of youth, who, despite being the subject of derogatory judgments, are firmly convinced that they will be agents of change in this election due to the unprecedented political landscape that surrounds us.

It is imperative to keep in mind that Generation Z and Millennials express a passionate interest in global issues and social causes. These generations are distinguished by their unwavering commitment to environmental sustainability, diversity, inclusion, technological innovation and their active participation in the fight for human rights, social justice and equality.

A tangible demonstration of their activism materialized in this year's historic 8M march, where a notable number of young people raised their voices in repudiation of gender violence. We are convinced that this same emotion will be reflected at the polls, since witnessing a woman ascend to the presidency not only inspires them, but also drives them to exercise their right to vote with fervor.

However, although young people have shown low participation in previous elections, with 53% of voters in 2018 and 53.84% in 2012 according to INE data, the current scenario could motivate them to mobilize and exercise their right to vote. more actively, since of the 98 million people registered on the INE nominal list, 36 million correspond to young people between 18 and 35 years old, thus constituting 40% of the electoral roll. This fact is of utmost relevance, since it marks a historical milestone by representing the election with the largest number of millennials and members of Generation Z registered on the nominal list. Without a doubt, this significant percentage will have a considerable impact on the results of the elections and on youth participation in the democratic process.

The participation of young people in this electoral process is essential given the historical situation we are going through, being vital for a healthy democracy and essential to ensure that the Government truly represents our interests and concerns, thus forging a more promising future. The youth vote must have a significant impact on politics and decisions that directly affect our environment, since they are the future of our beloved Mexico.

The next June 2nd They will be carried out elections for various positions in Mexico, including a presidency, 9 governorships, 128 senatorial offices, 500 deputations, 31 local congresses and 1,500 city councils. Some key dates to keep in mind during the electoral process are:

Electoral campaigns:

March 1 to May 29

Discussions:

Sunday April 7
Sunday April 28
Sunday May 19

Electoral ban:

May 30 to June 1

Voting

June 2nd

Karla Doig Alvear, lawyer and activist in collaboration with Paulina Casso, businesswoman and writer.

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She is a lawyer, public servant, columnist, and feminist convinced that men and women are equal in the sense of participating in social life and in life as a whole. She has a Law Degree from the Sinaloa Free School of Law, a Degree in Nutrition from the Mexican American Studies Center, and an AC Master in Public Policy from the Autonomous Technological Institute of Mexico.

Additionally, she studied English for two years at the University of Lake County in Illinois and has a Diploma in Human Rights from a Gender Perspective from the National Human Rights Commission.

Originally from Culiacán, Sinaloa, she lives in Mexico City, where she has worked in different federal agencies, recently as director of Budget Evaluation in the General Directorate of Programming and Budget, and Area Director in the General Directorate of Material Resources and General Services of the Ministry of the Interior. Currently, she is Secretary of Presentation Support in the Federal Judiciary Council of the Judicial Branch of the Federation.

She has specialized in issues of gender equality, labor matters and human rights through courses and research work. She has participated as a guest columnist in various media outlets, and has also been invited to participate as a commentator on the Mexican Government's Radio Educación.

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