Politician of the Year Award

According to the Inter-Parliamentary Union, only 2.8% of parliamentarians globally are under the age of 30, and only 18.8% of MPs are below 40. In approximately 74% of upper chambers, there are no MPs below the age of 30. A lack of representation raises the substantial risk of disconnecting an entire generation from their nations’ political processes.

The One Young World Politician of the Year Award was created in 2018 to recognise the most promising young politicians between the ages of 18-35 from around the world. The winners are selected based on the impact they are having in their home countries and how they have used their position to benefit young people specifically. It is the first global award recognising the work of young politicians and was launched to counter the low level of youth engagement in politics.

We are delighted to launch our annual Politician of the Year Award again for 2024. The award will be presented to the winners at the One Young World Summit in Montréal (Tiohtià:ke), Canada, which takes place from 18-21 September 2024.

The award winners will be selected by an international panel of judges with unparalleled political expertise. The awardees will be assessed based on how they have used their public office to effect positive change in their communities and countries, particularly to benefit and represent young people.

Applications and nominations for the 2024 award are now closed.

Politician of the Year Award 2023 Ceremony

Politician of the Year Award 2023 Winners Q&A

2023 Winners

Member of Parliament for London West, Canada

Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council

Mayor of the Far North District, New Zealand

Member of the Chamber of Representatives, Belgium

Member of the House of Representatives, Nepal

2022 Winners

Icelandic Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation

Member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Panama

Commissioner for Youth & Sports, Oyo State Government, Nigeria

Member of the Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Member of the Vermont House of Representatives

2020 Winners

Member of the European Parliament, Germany

Member of Parliament, Zimbabwe

Mayor of Stockton, United States
 

Member of the Philippines House of Representatives

Mayor of Maydan Wardak Province

2019 Winners

Spokesperson for La République En Marche!, France

 

Green Party MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber & Lord Mayor of Sheffield, UK

President of the National Assembly, Venezuela

 

Democratic Alliance representative, South Africa

Minister for Tourism, Industries and Innovation & Minister of Justice, Iceland

2018 Winners

Government Assembly Member, Ghana

 

Youngest MP to serve on a country’s legislative body in the Caribbean, Bahamas

Member of the National Assembly, Kenya

 

Youngest Senator in Australian parliamentary history

Secretary of State for Vocational Training, Tunisia

Politician of the Year Award Ceremony 2019

Politician of the Year Award Ceremony 2018