Interest in politics is an important factor for social cohesion. It is a key challenge for politicians to ensure that citizens are engaged with politics and participate as actors in society’s political life.
Voter turnout rates vary enormously across OECD countries. A high voter turnout is a sign that a country’s political system enjoys a strong degree of participation. Turnout rates in parliamentary elections are above 80% in Türkiye and Sweden, but below 50% in Luxembourg and Switzerland (Figure 8.10). Low turnout not only reflects limited participation by registered voters, but also limited registration by potential voters. In most OECD countries, there has been a decline in electoral participation over the last three decades. Between the early 1990s and the early 2020s, participation in parliamentary elections across the OECD decreased from 75% to 65% on average.
In general, younger voters are less likely to cast their vote than the electorate (Figure 8.11). The voter turnout among 18‑24 year‑olds is, on average, 12 percentage points lower than for adults aged 25 to 50 inclusive. In Lithuania, Portugal and the Slovak Republic, the turnout for young people is 30% or more lower than for individuals aged 25‑50. Only in Australia, Belgium and Israel are younger voters more likely to cast their vote than individuals aged 25‑50. On average, there is no significant difference in voter turnout between men and women.
One in four young people in the OECD report no interest at all in politics, compared with one in five for all age groups (Figure 8.12). Disinterest in politics among 15‑29 year‑olds is highest in Chile, Czechia and Hungary, with 50% or more reporting no interest at all, compared to rates below 10% in Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany and the Netherlands. Chile, Colombia and Greece report the highest level of disinterest in politics for the total population, whereas Japan and Norway join Austria, Denmark and Germany with the lowest levels of disinterest.
