Youth, Elections and Democratic Engagement: A Regional Dialogue
Cluj-Napoca, 25 – 26 February 2026
Casa Universitarilor, Auditorium Maximum Hall/Mihail Kogălniceanu 5
Day 1
| 12:00 – 13:00 | Lunch at Casa Universitarilor – Piramida Restaurant (speakers and invited participants) |
| 13:00 – 13:30 | Registration & Welcome Coffee |
| 13:30 – 13:50 | Opening Remarks Professor Daniel David, Rector of Babeș-Bolyai University (UBB)Raul Mureșan, Project Co-ordinator, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) |
| 13:50 – 14:30 | Keynote Address: Youth, Trust and Democratic Participation |
| Vlad Adamescu & Răzvan Petri, Politică la minut, Romania | |
| 14:30 – 15:40 | Session 1: (Why) Do Young People Stay Away from Elections? Objective: Identify structural, political and institutional factors contributing to youth disengagement from electoral processes across the Western Balkans, beyond awareness and information gaps |
| Moderator: Nataliya Vasylevska, Associate Project Officer, ODIHR | |
| Mia Radovanović, Senior Project Officer, Council of Europe Office in SarajevoDavid Băgăcean, Romanian Association for Debate, Oratory and Rhetoric (ARDOR)Blendë Pira, Legal Researcher & Program Coordinator, Youth Initiative for Human Rights, Kosovo*Davor Džakula, OSCE Pool of Young Experts, Serbia | |
| 15:40 – 16:00 | Coffee Break |
| 16:00 – 17:15 | Session 2: Education and Political Socialization of Youth – Limits and Opportunities Objective: Assess the role of formal education, civic education and universities in shaping democratic literacy and electoral engagement across disciplines, beyond the social sciences |
| Moderator: Bogdan Radu, Lecturer in Political Science, UBB | |
| Adela Kula, Project Officer, Council of Europe Office in TiranaGiorgiana Spătăcean, Secretary General, National Alliance of Student Organizations in RomaniaMilica Borjanić, Secretary General, National Youth Council of SerbiaGabriel Bădescu, Professor of Political Science, UBB | |
| 17:15 – 18:15 | Session 3: Inclusion or Tokenism? Reaching Underrepresented and Marginalized Youth Objective: Explore shared barriers to participation faced by non-student youth, rural youth, NEET groups, young women, Roma youth, national minorities and youth with disabilities. Assess whether existing participation mechanisms enable meaningful inclusion |
| Moderator: Maria Olariu, Researcher in Political Science, UBB | |
| Quentin Rumeau, Associate Democratic Governance Officer, ODIHRAfërdita Haxhijaha Imeri, Program Manager and Social Inclusion Advisor, International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), North MacedoniaAdelina Mureşan, Extraordinary Youth, RomaniaFernando Varga, Researcher, UBB | |
| 18:15 | Concluding Remarks |
Day 2
| 09:00 – 09:30 | Welcome Coffee |
| 09:30 – 10:00 | Keynote Address: Youth, Digital Participation and Democratic Risks |
| Salome Margvelashvili, Regional Project Manager, Code for Romania | |
| 10:00 – 11:30 | Session 4: Digital Natives, Democratic Risks – Youth, Social Media and Elections Objective: Examine how social networks, algorithms, influencers, micro-targeting and disinformation shape youth political behaviour and electoral participation |
| Moderator: Quentin Rumeau, Associate Democratic Governance Officer, ODIHR | |
| Matei Vrabie, Program Manager, Funky Citizens, RomaniaZoran Richliev, Media Project Manager, Metamorphosis Foundation, North MacedoniaSorana Constantinescu, Lecturer in Political Science, UBB, TAKEPART ProjectBogdan Lungu, Board Member, Association for Technology and Internet (ApTI), Romania | |
| 11:30 – 11:50 | Coffee Break |
| 11:50 – 13:15 | Session 5: Are EMBs Reaching Young Voters? Institutional Communication and (Digital) Outreach Objective: Examine whether EMB voter information and communication strategies resonate with youth, and identify barriers related to institutional language, channels and formats |
| Moderator: Shqipe Shaqiri-Islami, Senior Project Assistant, OSCE Mission in Kosovo | |
| Doina Bordeianu, Former Director of The Center for Continuing Education in the Electoral Field (CICDE), MoldovaKristina Žugić, Executive Director, Youth Initiative for Human Rights, MontenegroSeptimius Pârvu, Coordinator of the Electoral Program, Expert Forum, RomaniaMigen Qiraxhi, Elections Programme Manager, Qendresa Qytetare, Albania | |
| 13:15 – 14:30 | Lunch (speakers and invited participants) |
| 14:30 – 15:45 | Session 6: From Participation to Influence – Youth Engagement in Electoral Reform Objective: Discuss pathways for youth engagement beyond voter turnout, including election observation, advocacy and participation in electoral reform processes |
| Moderator: George Jiglău, Lecturer in Political Science, UBB | |
| Elisa Parnefält Størksen, President, European Dialogue and Democracy Association (EDDA), NorwayRoxana Pencea Brădățan, Campaign Coordinator, DECLIC, RomaniaVildan Plepi, Program Director, National Democratic Institute (NDI), Albania | |
| 15:45 | Concluding Session / Key Findings and Way Forward Maria Olariu, UBB RapporteurRaul Mureșan, ODIHR Project Co-ordinator |
*All references to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions or population, in this text should be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244.
