In the 2023 Riigikogu elections, 46 percent of people aged 18 to 24 voted. Alar Kilp, a lecturer in comparative politics at the University of Tartu's Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies, said lower turnout among young people is also linked to the fact that they are less dependent on political decisions than older people.

"On the one hand, 46 percent is low, but voter turnout increases with age — people who own property, have higher incomes and have school-age children have much more at stake in politics, so they are also more interested and participate more," Kilp said.

He added that direct participation in politics is more important to young people than elections.

"Young people find forms of political participation that produce tangible results more meaningful. Electing representatives — including young candidates — and having their interests represented through them generally seems too abstract, long-term and disconnected from tangible results to young people," Kilp explained.

Henry Härm, president of the University of Tartu's Political Science Society, said young people relate to politics better when it is presented by another young person.

"The best person to engage a young person in politics is another young person. The problem is that there are too few young politicians who are supposed to address young people's concerns and amplify their voices, and those who do exist are too similar to one another," Härm said. He added that the success of young politicians who have gained prominence shows there is, in fact, demand for charismatic young figures.

Young Social Democrat Romet Soer said politics is gradually beginning to pay more attention to young people.

"More and more young politicians are entering the arena and saying outright that they care about young people's concerns — if this trend continues, we will see even more politicians like that," Soer said.

Härm said social media has prompted young people to think more about politics and increasingly recognize its importance.

"There is a growing understanding in politics of the importance of young people. This can also be seen in changes in politicians' behavior on social media — they want to reach a younger target audience, up to around age 26 to 30. The old advertising methods no longer work: posters on trash cans and walls appeal more to older people and retirees, while young people can only be reached through a strong social media presence," Härm explained.

Sandra Laur, a young Isamaa politician active on social media, said the best way to reach young people is to speak to them honestly and directly.

"Politics needs to be discussed in plain language. Too often, politicians speak in such a dry and sterile way that even I, someone interested in politics, start yawning," Laur said.

She said too many politicians have positions that are so carefully polished that they are no longer distinguishable from one another.

"They support everything that is good and oppose everything that is bad — a message that vague cannot even be substantively criticized, which may be the point. But young people, and not just young people, see through it. Politicians should not hide behind bureaucratic language and political fog," Laur said.

While turnout among young people was 46 percent in the most recent Riigikogu elections, it was just 35 percent four years earlier. Despite the increase of more than 10 percentage points, Helene Kristine Viita, CEO and chair of the board of the Estonian National Youth Council, sees the issue as being more about trust.

"The question is really one of trust — whether a young person feels that their vote actually makes a difference," Viita said, adding that the problem is not unique to Estonia.

"According to the International Civic and Citizenship Education Study, young people's trust in a number of institutions is high, but their trust in political parties is clearly lower than their trust in, for example, scientists, the Defense Forces or the police," Viita said.

Laur also sees room for improvement in civic education in schools.

"What matters is the knowledge and habits young people have when they enter adulthood. At present, civic education is taught for the equivalent of about three or four years across 12 grades — I see no reason why it couldn't be taught from sixth grade through the end of upper secondary school, covering everything from media literacy to economic and financial literacy," Laur said.

Soer believes the standard of civic education is good, but schools lack classes in which young people learn to express themselves politically.

"The main problem isn't the content — that's solid. The problem is that young people aren't interested in it and that depends very much on the teachers. You need an engaging teacher who encourages young people to think for themselves and, for example, take part in political simulation events," Soer said.

He added that there is also a lack of classes that encourage young people to express their own views and support them with arguments.

In the most recent local elections, the number of voters aged 18 to 24 rose from 12,000 to nearly 16,000. Turnout among young people in Riigikogu elections nevertheless remains low, consistently staying below 50 percent. The pattern is similar in local elections, although turnout rose by nearly 10 percentage points in 2025 compared with the 2021 elections.

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