I would like to become a member of parliament in the National Council. Bringing about real change is a prospect that excites me. For example, I want our economic system to be more liberal and climate-friendly. When in doubt, I always choose the most efficient option: I travel to school by bus, although the journey takes twice as long as riding there on my bike. But I can read the newspaper on the way.
You certainly need a bit of luck to be elected to parliament, but I am a keen, effective, quick-witted debater – which is not a bad thing to be. I have sat in the youth parliament of the city of Berne for over two years, where we have been calling for the voting age to be lowered to 16. The matter is currently with Berne’s cantonal parliament.
When I have finished school, I want to tour through Japan on foot with a friend. I am fascinated that a country so far away can, from what I read, be so similar to us in terms of its culture. Both the Swiss and the Japanese tend to be a bit reserved, but friendly once you get to know them. At the moment, I am learning Japanese with the help of online videos. And saving money for the trip. I don’t have a lot of money yet, because I don’t have a job. There simply isn’t enough time for everything.
Jason Steinmann
Born in 2005, living in Ittigen near Berne, and a pupil at Neufeld upper secondary school in Berne. Jason takes part in his school’s theatre productions because he enjoys acting out new parts.
The portraits of all 16 young people interviewed
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