France backs Unesco drive to involve more young people in political decisions

France has expressed support for a UNESCO initiative aimed at increasing the involvement of young people in political decision-making processes, including those related to conflict prevention and artificial intelligence governance. This comes amid a surge in student protests across the country, where many young people feel their voices are not adequately represented in political matters.

The initiative, drafted by 145 young representatives from 135 countries, seeks to establish youth representation in decision-making bodies, conflict prevention mechanisms, and mediation processes. Following UNESCO's endorsement of the proposal, France's Foreign Minister, Jean-Noel Barrot, emphasized the importance of young people's voices being heard in shaping political decisions.

The initiative also calls for the creation of international frameworks to govern artificial intelligence, a threat to peace identified by the signatories. As the protests continue, high school students are set to join a new round of demonstrations on Saturday, demanding accountability from the government over perceived systemic issues, exacerbated by fiscal constraints imposed by France's budgetary challenges.