Postal voting for children

The youngest vote on these issues

SOS Children's Villages Director Marek Zeliska visited all the top candidates to draw attention to the children's postal vote and their wishes and needs

(Bild: Christian Schulter)

In the course of the regional elections in Burgenland, the SOS Children's Village held a "children's vote election". Around 500 children across Burgenland took part and chose from three topics what was most important to them.

The most votes went to more time for family and friends. This was followed by the environment and sport and play. The aim of the vote was to make children's concerns visible. "We want to show young people: Your opinion counts," said SOS Children's Villages Director Marek Zeliska. Too often, "decisions are made over the heads of children", for example when it comes to climate policy.

He passes the ball on to future decision-makers after the election. "If children have the opportunity to experience from the outset that they can make a difference themselves, they will be encouraged to go through life and play an active role later on. I now hope that the concerns of the little ones will be taken into account by the grown-ups," says Zeliska. The personal meeting with all the top candidates was also intended to show the children that their needs have been passed on to the right address.