That makes young Estonians like me wonder: if we’re already so used to living in a digital democracy, why can’t the rest of Europe use the same tools to get young people more involved in EU policy?
Estonia: where digital feels normal
In Estonia, your digital ID matters almost as much as your passport. Prescriptions get sent straight to your pharmacy, schoolwork happens online, and every government service is just a few clicks away. For my generation, dealing with complicated systems through tech feels natural, it’s what we’ve grown up with.
But that doesn’t mean it’s perfect. Cybersecurity threats are real. Not everyone has equal access to digital tools. And privacy worries are never far from the conversation. Still, none of that makes us want to give up on digital society. If anything, it pushes us to build systems that are safer, fairer, and easier to use.
Making the EU to feel less far away
Let’s be honest: the EU often feels like some distant machine in Brussels. For a lot of young people, European policy is just men in suits debating topics we rarely understand. That’s exactly why the Estonian way of thinking: digital-first, youth-driven, could help bring the EU closer to young people everywhere.
Here’s what that could look like:
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Beyond petitions: real digital participation
Petitions and hashtags are fine, but what if we could go further? Imagine a secure online platform, built with tech like Estonia’s digital ID and blockchain, where youth councils across Europe could actually submit policy proposals that the EU would have to review. It wouldn’t just be talk, it would be real, trackable engagement. -
Turning policy into a game
Reading long EU documents isn’t exactly teenager-friendly. But what if you could play through policies? Imagine a simulation where you get to balance the EU budget, decide on climate policy, or negotiate a trade deal. A kind of “PolicyCraft” that makes the EU interactive and fun, while still showing the real consequences of decisions. -
AI that translates, not confuses
Instead of seeing AI as a threat, what if we used it to break down barriers? Think AI tools that can turn dense EU legal text into simple, clear explanations or live-translate parliamentary debates into every EU language instantly. That would make politics accessible to everyone, no matter their background. -
From social media noise to real conversation
Social media is where young people already are, but political discussions there usually collapse into shouting matches. The EU could experiment with digital town halls structured Q&As with MEPs on platforms young people actually use. With smart moderation, these could become real conversations, not just noise.
The bigger picture
Moving from Tallinn’s digital playground to an EU-wide system won’t be easy. Every member state has different levels of digital literacy, different concerns about privacy, and different levels of trust in government tech. But if there’s one thing Estonia shows, it’s that transparency and user-focused design can build trust.
At the end of the day, Europe’s future depends on its youth. And our generation is already fluent in the digital world. If the EU leans into that reality, it could make politics something young people don’t just hear about — but actually shape.
From where I sit in Tallinn, the path forward is clear: a Europe that’s more connected, more democratic, and more open to the people who will carry it into the future.