The House of Representatives will focus on youth and politics on Monday, April 14. During the National Youth Debate, 130 young people from all over the Netherlands will come to the House to make their voices heard. They will discuss with members of parliament and government officials about regional public transport, equal opportunities and child poverty, vaping and the tobacco industry, and performance pressure in education. The debate can be followed live from 12:50 PM via the livestream and the Debat Direct app.
Debate
Youths from all over the Netherlands take their seats in the blue chairs of the plenary hall to present their solutions to societal problems to politicians. The debate follows a fixed debate format, just like with members of parliament. The participants come from different provinces and are of various ages and backgrounds. The aim is for them to form a representative reflection of Dutch youth in this way.
Speaker of the House Martin Bosma chairs the debate. The National Youth Debate takes place annually in the House of Representatives and is organized by the National Youth Council (NJR). During the corona crisis in 2020 and 2021, the debate was held online. This year marks the 30th edition.
Factions
In the past months, the youths received training in debating. The youths are divided into four factions: yellow, green, red, and blue. They themselves suggested the themes they wanted to debate.
Watch live or replay
Follow the National Youth Debate from 12:50 PM via the livestream or External link:Debat Direct. Through Debat Direct, you can also watch the National Youth Debate later.