Youth Landtag NRW: Apply now for the political experience!

Youth Landtag NRW: Apply now for the political experience!

The youth state day North Rhine-Westphalia takes place from November 13th to 15th, 2025 and offers young people from the Olpe and Siegen-Wittgenstein districts the opportunity to actively participate in the political events. From now on, interested young people can apply for participation. This event, which is being organized for the 15th time, has established itself as a significant platform to bring young people closer to the role of a member of the state parliament and to hear their voice in political discussions, as Localplus.nrw reported.

The youth state day is an outstanding example of democratic participation. Over the past 15 years, over 2,700 young people have participated in this extraordinary program. They slip into the role of MPs and take part in plenary debates, committees, parliamentary group meetings and experts to discuss current political issues. Participants are primarily pupils, trainees, students and young working people aged 16 to 20 who have not yet participated in a youth state day.

application process and deadlines

Participation in the youth country day is free; Arrival, accommodation and meals are taken over by the state parliament. Interested parties must submit their applications directly to the MPs. For Christin-Marie Stamm (SPD), the application period is until June 13, while Gregor Kaiser (Greens) accepts applications until July 15. All applications should include personal data such as name, address and date of birth, and the contact details of the parents for minors.

A central element of the event is democracy training on the first day, which is carried out by the State Center for Political Education. This training ensures that the participants are well prepared to develop their ideas and applications, which are finally presented in a plenary session. As explained in youth.daGag.nrw , the goal of promoting the political skills of the participants and supporting them is to clearly articulate and defend their opinions in discussions.

The importance of youth participation

Youth participation is considered crucial for the promotion of democratic values. It enables young people to contribute their perspectives and influence political decisions. As explained in Political-Bildung.nrw , participation in formats such as the youth state parliament supports the development of fundamental skills, including dealing with political issues, listening and exchange in discussions. These skills are of great importance for their personal and political development.

Nevertheless, formats of youth participation face challenges. In particular, the sustainability of these approaches and the inclusion of disadvantaged groups, such as young people from young people and young people from rural regions, must be viewed critically. The design of new formats should aim to recognize and overcome these hurdles.

The voices of young people are important. The President of the state parliament André Kuper has repeatedly emphasized how crucial the commitment of youth is for democracy. The coming youth state day offers an excellent opportunity to experience and actively shape democratic processes.