POLITICAL PARTICIPATION OF YOUTH IN LATVIA: VIEW FROM ISIDE

This article surveys the opinions of socio-politically active youth about problems in Latvia and their role in solving these problems. The young people's opinions were determined by organising four focus-group discussions for different target audiences. Research data reveal that since socio-politically active youth have become integrated into the existing system, they don't see a need for rapid changes, but they emphasise their own participation and the participation of society in bringing about gradual changes. The range of problems identified by active youth in Latvia (lack of goals in the country, lack of understanding about broader context, lack of professional politicians who would have appropriate education and values, as well as inappropriate decisions on certain issues, namely, construction of the Southern Bridge and the National Library, as well as squandering) differs from those EU priorities which plan to involve youth (education, employment, social integration and fight against racism and xenophobia). Because of these different agendas, less attention is paid in Latvia to trends and possible solutions identified at the European level.