Turning Generation Lost into Generation Hope

As befits the European Parliament’s youngest active member, 25 year-old Danish socialist Emilie Turunen is putting the needs of young Europeans at the top of the political agenda.

Emilie Turunen, MEP

She has drafted a radical report on promoting youth access to the labour market, strengthening trainee, internship and apprenticeship status that will be debated at the April plenary session.

Turning the dire prognosis for increasing unemployment and exclusion among young people on its head, the report focuses on how much can be gained by investing in them. After all young people don’t hoard their cash as savings, but spend it quickly, boosting consumer demand: just the shot in the arm Europe’s flagging economy needs.

The resolution that Emilie is seeking to have adopted “calls for Member States to ensure that all young people are individually entitled to a minimum level of income that secures for them the possibility of creating an independent adult life.”

No longer will they need to stifle the cries of passion to avoid being overheard, one of the more uncomfortable aspects of living with parents according to Jeanne, one of Emilie’s fervent supporters. She goes on: “And young people really get climate change and things, so we’d only spend the money on stuff that’s good for the planet!”