Participation of young people in politics is very important for Latvia's future - Saeima speaker

RIGA - Youth participation in politics is very important for the future of Latvia, said Saeima Speaker Daiga Mierina (Greens/Farmers), addressing the participants of the 11th Youth Parliament today.

Mierina expressed her conviction that the participants of the Youth Parliament will be future statesmen and stateswomen, and said that in the future they will sit in the Saeima Chamber, and this historic moment they will remember as their first steps in politics.

"I am glad that you have shown with your willingness and zeal that you are interested in the processes and politics of the country," Mierina said, stressing that it is important to involve the broadest possible society in decision-making: "The more people discuss, the better the quality of the decisions."

Mierina also stressed that a strong politician is one who always and everywhere gets his or her point across in a constructive and reasoned way. "Then you will also understand that things are not as simple as they often seem. I wish you decent jobs and opportunities to prove yourselves," said the Speaker of the Saeima, calling on young people to passionately defend their ideas.

The 11th Youth Parliament meets today in Saeima. It is close to the real work of parliament - the law-making process in committees and in the sittings of the Saeima. The Youth Parliament promotes the civic engagement of young people in decision-making, gives them the opportunity to express and defend their own ideas in parliament, and to get to know the daily life of MPs.

Today, the young people gather both in parliament sessions and in four committees. In the second half of the day, the young people will discuss the ideas supported by the committees and their inclusion in the 11th Youth Parliament declaration.

The 100 Youth Parliament members were elected by public vote and all regions of Latvia are represented in the project. This year, 39 young people from the Riga constituency, 20 from Vidzeme, 14 from Latgale, 15 from Zemgale and 12 from Kurzeme were elected. Young people from the diaspora were also elected.