‘I cannot take it lightly’: young voters urged to take part in EU elections

Officials hope for strong youth turnout but experts say this does not translate into support for EU as far right makes inroads

The town has a farm, a university and a factory, but nobody agrees on where to put the police station. Around a large table in a stuffy room in a museum basement next to the Royal Palace of Brussels, a group of teenagers are haggling over the construction of a fictional town that has run out of budget.

The group of 21 sixth formers from the south Belgian city of Mons have already divided into four political parties and fixed their priorities. Health, jobs and equality were high on everyone's list. Now they have to find consensus on building a town, trading views over where to place brightly coloured blocks - standing for amenities - on the gleaming white table.