“It is particularly concerning to witness the disinterest and political apathy among the youth, a result of the lack of civic education perpetuated by an educational system that does not prepare them for active participation in society,” stated Carlos Magalhães, president of the Coimbra Academic Association.
The Coimbra Academic Association today presented a letter to Portuguese democracy at the terrace of its headquarters, aiming to “reflect on the current state of affairs.”
“We talk about achievements, but we cannot take them for granted, nor assume that we will never again fall into darkness and censorship. Today, we have the opportunity to present this letter to reflect on the values of April and what today’s democracy should be,” he justified.
The concerns of the students, articulated in the Coimbra Academic Association’s Letter to Portuguese Democracy, will be sent to political parties and candidates for parliament in the Assembly of the Republic.
In this document, students from Coimbra recalled the first election held following the April 25 revolution in 1975, aimed at electing the Constituent Assembly, which symbolized the possibility of a truly free and universal suffrage, unprecedented until then.
Those elections recorded a voter turnout of 91%, “becoming the most participated election in the country’s history.” However, the recent legislative elections showed very different results.
“In the 2024 legislative elections, there was a worrisome abstention rate of 40.16%, the lowest since 1995, but still far from the 9% recorded in 1975. As we move away from that April dawn, the widespread disinterest in the stability of the Portuguese democratic system and in choosing those who represent us in power bodies becomes alarming,” emphasized Carlos Magalhães.
According to the students of Coimbra, the growing gap between voters and elected officials “leads to a mistaken perception that politics is only for the ‘elites,’ where none of the promises come to fruition.”
“This scenario paves the way for the growth of populist movements, once distant, now returning with force, promoting hate speech and division in society,” they added in the document.
To prevent this, the students advocated the importance of remembering the values and achievements of April “in the face of authoritarian forces that erode liberal democracies in Europe and the world.”
“In a world plagued by increasing challenges, from proliferating armed conflicts causing severe humanitarian and social crises, to the uncontrolled perpetuation of extremisms and radicalisms, it is imperative that the youth take the reins of their future, building a world that honors April’s values. A free, democratic, and equal world,” they urged.
