Pedro Sánchez highlights that the Government has doubled state investment in young people since 2018: "More resources to ensure that being young does not mean having fewer opportunities"

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, highlighted that, since 2018, the Government "has doubled state investment in young people", which means "more resources to ensure that being young does not mean having fewer opportunities".

During the opening of the 26th Assembly of the Spanish Youth Council, Pedro Sánchez noted that "if we want to get policies aimed at young people right, the first thing we must do is include the voices and participation of young people". He therefore praised the work of the Council, which for over 40 years has succeeded in "ensuring that the concerns, demands and aspirations of young people reach the places where decisions are made". This is particularly important, he noted, at the present time, when some regions are witnessing a "regression" in young people's rights and a "disregard for dialogue spaces" designed for them, such as this one.

The head of the Executive emphasised the need to "listen to young people without prejudice", "understand their concerns", and "take action". In this regard, he recalled the challenges young people face, such as "spending half their salary on rent", "having a scholarship make the difference between continuing their studies or having to give them up", or "being stuck in a cycle of precarious contracts".

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, is photographed with several young people at the opening ceremony of the 26th Assembly of the Spanish Youth Council | Pool Moncloa/ Borja Puig de la Bellacasa

In light of this, "it is not enough simply to ask young people to trust institutions. We as institutions have to give them reasons to trust us", which is what the Government has sought to do over these years, he said. He went on to highlight the Government's investment in areas such as access to culture, through the Youth Cultural Voucher, and housing, through the Youth Rental Voucher and the increase in financial assistance to 300 euros per month. He also referred to the Housing Act, which is having a positive effect on rent levels and prohibits the sale of social housing to vulture funds, as has happened in the past. On this matter, he pointed out that "one cannot demand solutions to the housing problem while simultaneously placing the interests of a few vulture funds ahead of the future of thousands of young people". He further explained that had all the social housing built over the last 45 years not been sold off, the current stock would be far greater than the existing 2%.

The head of the Executive also highlighted his government's decision to raise the minimum wage and its commitment to vocational training, which has helped reduce the school dropout rate.

Beyond the challenges, the president noted that we are faced with a "generation that is well-prepared, demanding, committed, with a tremendous desire to change things, with ideas, solutions and optimism". For this reason, he stated, "they deserve respect and to be treated as equals, not subjected to constant scrutiny and finger-pointing".

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, is photographed with several young people at the opening ceremony of the 26th Assembly of the Spanish Youth Council | Pool Moncloa/ Borja Puig de la Bellacasa

To conclude, the President of the Government of Spain stated that "it is important that young people's voices are heard". "You must keep making noise. You must keep making demands and speaking out about what you dislike - even when the actions you dislike come from the Government of Spain. Don't settle for easy answers to difficult problems. And, above all, never let anyone turn any legitimate concerns you may have into fear or hatred towards those around you". "People often say that you are the future, but I think that falls short. You are the present. And Spain needs you to take your place in it", he concluded.

Non official translation