A 21st Century Necessity: The Power of Diversity of Thought Through Age

Ella Robertson McKay

Managing Director of One Young World

As two pensioners slug it out in the US Presidential election, age has never been a more discussed topic in politics. While a person’s age is often held up as a virtue – indicative of their world experience or optimism – it’s never been straightforward at the ballot box.

Indeed, a leader’s age is often used to cast doubt on their ability to handle crises and tackle problems. Too old, and they can be cast as a dinosaur – too young, and they’re too naive for the job.

However, there has always been an inherent power and strength in having younger voices represented in governments, one that brings necessary diversity of thought in an era where creativity, new ways of thinking and innovation are critical.

The past few years have seen repeated examples of this trend gathering impact. In January, Gabriel Attal became France’s youngest Prime Minister at the age of 34; while Ireland also has its youngest Taoiseach, Simon Harris aged 37; and in 2023, Daniel Noboa became Ecuador’s youngest President at the age of 36.

Current Leadership is Failing Young People

There’s growing frustration in the way leaders repeatedly fail young people. Every year, One Young World carries out a Global Consultation Process (GCP) surveying 1,500 young leaders from over 160 countries, and this year’s report uncovered a serious lack of confidence in current world leadership’s ability to solve global issues.

The GCP found that 54% of young people do not have confidence in global leadership to uphold human rights in war zones and areas of conflict. Given the escalation of conflict and humanitarian needs and with nearly 300 million individuals requiring assistance amidst protracted crises in 2024, this is particularly pertinent.

Reflecting upon the climate crisis, 56% said they had no confidence in current political leaders to deliver Net Zero by 2025. As the climate emergency grows more acute, and the despondency of young people to the current environmental world order speaks to something much bigger.

This speaks to a broader disillusionment with prevailing political agendas and the functioning of democracy. A recent study by the Centre for the Future of Democracy at the University of Cambridge found that in almost every global region it is among 18-34 year olds that satisfaction with democracy is in steepest decline. This is a dangerous slippery slope. This evidence points towards a broader trend that current global leaders are failing to represent young people and solve the issues most important to them.

Nascent Trend Signals a Promising Future

Data shows that young people are more likely to vote and engage with the political system – when they see greater representation. Research by The Electoral Knowledge Network found that youth political participation is critical to creating sustainable and peaceful societies. In particular, for countries in transition, youth representation in the highest offices “bring democratic values to life, leading to the overturning of authoritarian practices.”

This is important: according to the Resolution Foundation, voter turnout for 25- to 34-year-olds has dropped sharply to below 60% in the UK. This is in spite of well-funded campaigns such as Bite the Ballot and Rock the Vote across the Atlantic. Last week, One Young World Ambassador Mete Coban launched the Give An X Campaign with the support of celebrities such as Michael Sheen, Meera Syall and Paapa Essiedu.

But young people also need to see themselves represented at a policy level: at the last Federal election, the Conservative Party of Canada received less than 20% of the youth vote – now the 50-point deficit with parties on the left among the under-thirties has fallen to just 5 points today thanks to an emphasis on housing policy. In America, Democrats are panicking at the apparent youth exodus resulting from Biden’s lack of support for Palestine.

Final Thought: Age as a Vital Factor

It is a myth that you can be too young to lead. By giving young people platforms and opportunities for them to explore their leadership capabilities and connect with others in similar positions, there is a synergy that is created amongst young people. Young people are pragmatic idealists with the shared value of wanting to create a better world, and this is a powerful driving force.

I have had the privilege of working alongside some of the most inspiring young voices at One Young World and witnessed their incredible ability to lead and drive change. From Tabata Amaral who, after growing up in a Favela, represents Sao Paolo in congress and was awarded congressperson of the year in her first term, to Crystal Asige the Senator representing persons with disabilities & Special Interest Groups in Kenya’s Parliament. Young people are leaders with integrity, it is important they are equipped to drive the positive change they envision.

We need to start to reframe youth from leaders of tomorrow as the leaders of today. It’s not the case that young people will change the world; they are changing it daily. We can and must do more to empower, mentor and champion young people for a fair and sustainable future for all.

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