For over 30 years, young people in Luxembourg have been drawing attention to their concerns through demonstrations. Youth research shows how they get involved socially and politically, which forms of participation they prefer, and which topics interest them.
1995
Students protest against restrictions on the use of the Jumbo card.
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Youth participation in the Local Youth Plan of the City of Luxembourg 2004
A minority of young people are strongly socially and politically engaged (study conducted as part of the Local Youth Plan of the City of Luxembourg).
One in five young people in Luxembourg City belongs to the “socially engaged, politically interested and post-materialistic” leisure-time type. The study recommends increasing efforts to motivate young people to become actively involved in political and civic institutions.
2006
Young people take to the streets against Draft Law 5611 on youth unemployment.
Youth participation in the Youth Report 2010
Young people are actors in politics and society (Youth Report 2010).
“Young people in Luxembourg participate in a variety of areas and in very different ways in the shaping of democracy, civil society and the social environment and living environment that directly affects them.” The results show that young people of foreign origin, girls and young people with a low level of education are less involved.
2011
Pupils protest against a planned reform of the high-school system (Lycéesreform).
2014
Pupils and university students oppose a reform of financial aid for students (Draft Law 6670).
Youth participation in the Youth Report 2015
Young people develop civic participation in the transition phase (Youth Report 2015).
Young people in Luxembourg are more often involved in organisations than in other European countries. The political participation of young people in Luxembourg is also shifting from conventional forms to more unconventional, issue-based and youth-specific forms such as demonstrations.
2019
Young people in Luxembourg launch Fridays for Future demos to draw attention to climate problems.
Youth participation in the Youth Survey Luxembourg 2019
Young people in Luxembourg become active in civil society when they are interested (Youth Survey Luxembourg 2019).
20% of young people aged 16 to 29 are very interested in politics. The most common political action is taking part in demonstrations: around 40% of young people have done so at least once.
Youth participation in the Youth Survey Luxembourg 2024
Young people favour new actions to become politically active (Youth Survey Luxembourg 2024).
In each case, 38% of 16 to 29-year-olds have signed petitions or deliberately boycotted products for political reasons. Only just under 30% of young people said that they had taken part in a demonstration.
About the exhibition
This contribution was created as part of the exhibition “Jonk sinn. Momenter vu Jugendkultur“ (Being young. Moments of youth culture) and was developed by researchers from the Centre for Childhood and Youth Research(CCY). The exhibition was curated by Luc Spada, the visual design is the work of Laura Deitz. The scientific communication concept was developed by Moritz Höpner and implemented in collaboration with the researchers at the CCY. The exhibition was created on the initiative of the Service national de la jeunesse (SNJ) as part of the Luxembourg Presidency of the Council of Europe 2024/2025. The exhibition can be seen at the Mierscher Theatre from 24/02/2025 to 14/07/2025.
