The role of the young generations in Politics

Consiglio Nazionale Giovani

The role of young people within international institutions cannot be fully understood without analyzing the historical trajectory of modern diplomacy which, starting from the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, crystallized a world order based on absolute sovereignty and an exercise of power that was fundamentally gerontocratic and elitist. For centuries, from the Congress of Vienna until the end of the 19th century, international relations remained a "concert" reserved for a few expert decision-makers, systematically precluding access to younger generations, who were deemed to lack the necessary "raison d'état." It was only through the trauma of the 20th century and the birth of modern multilateralism in 1945 that the paradigm shifted, tentatively opening the doors of supranational organizations to broader participation. Today, however, we are facing a demand for change arising from society itself: according to data from the National Youth Council (Consiglio Nazionale Giovani), 65% of Italians desire a greater presence of young people in politics and institutions. This statistic is not merely a figure, but a clear signal that technical competence has become the true diplomatic currency. Young people—natives of a complexity that older ruling classes struggle to decipher—stand as the only ones capable of navigating the challenges of the digital transition and environmental sustainability. These generational drivers are no longer mere topics of discussion, but pillars of global governance where the young delegate acts as a strategic consultant rather than a mere auditor.

In this context, what is commonly defined as the "brain drain" appears as the symptom of a stifling national system that, unable to value merit, ends up expelling its talents toward more dynamic international power centers. This phenomenon is inextricably linked to the crisis of domestic political participation: young people are not fleeing from commitment, but are seeking contexts where their actions have a real impact, taking refuge in the global sphere to escape a national politics often encrusted with clientelistic and gerontocratic logics. Precisely as I describe in my book, "Il Paese delle Occasioni Mancate" (The Country of Missed Opportunities), Italy suffers from an immobility that confuses seniority with authority, ignoring that in international institutions the average age is significantly lower because value resides in rigorous analysis rather than affiliation. However, one must guard against the risk of "youth washing", a facade of participation where young people are used as aesthetic framing without having real signing power over decision-making processes.

The true challenge lies in building a strategic network between talents abroad and the State, transforming the diaspora into a soft-power infrastructure for the country's system. Conversely, the classical antithesis argues that young people lack the experience necessary to manage high-tension geopolitical crises; yet, such a view ignores that the obsolescence of skills is extremely rapid today and that historical memory, if not integrated by a vision of the present, becomes a paralyzing burden. And so youth involvement in institutions represents the only antidote to institutional paralysis, requiring a new contract between generations based on the circulation of knowledge and the overcoming of disenchantment. Only by placing merit back at the center of the debate, and by listening to that 65% of citizens calling for renewal, can we finally transform Italy from a land of goodbyes into a nation capable of leading global change with courage and freedom.

#YoungDemocracy #ActiveParticipation #Consitution #Edoardopignatti