Young People in Europe Becoming Less Idealistic, More Pragmatic

Among young people in Europe, there is a growing doubt that democracy is the best form of government, as they are dissatisfied with how it functions in their countries. However, the majority still hold a positive view of European Union membership, according to the annual „Young Europe“ study by the TUI Foundation.

According to the study published today, half of young people from six EU countries and the United Kingdom fully agreed with the statement that democracy is the best form of government, but only 26 percent expressed satisfaction with the functioning of democracy in their country.

The survey also showed that among young people, the perception that democracy is a superior system compared to other models is declining, and as many as nine percent said they prefer other forms of social organization. 

The survey was conducted online in April and May this year for the TUI Foundation by the agency Jugav in Germany, France, Spain, Poland, Italy, Greece, and the United Kingdom among a total of 8,024 young people aged 16 to 26. 

The highest satisfaction with the functioning of democracy in their country was shown by young Germans (53 percent), but the long-term trend since 2018 has been declining in Germany, France, Italy, and Greece, while young Poles and Britons are more satisfied with democracy in their country today than a few years ago.

The study assesses that young people are not skeptical of democracy on principle, but have become more demanding and measure democracy not by its promises or as a mere value, but by its performance in everyday life and how it solves problems and shapes the future.

The attitude of young people towards EU membership is, as the study shows, very pragmatic and is not something that is taken for granted. The majority of young people (62 percent) associate the EU with open borders, and slightly fewer (57 percent) with economic cooperation, although the perception of the EU as an economic community has lost significance since 2017.

Young people still associate the EU with major promises such as human rights (37 percent), peace (36 percent), solidarity (31 percent), democracy (30 percent), and security (27 percent). A third of young people desire closer relations within the EU, while a third think that current ties are just as they should be.

The authors of the study note that it is striking that an increasing number of participants in the annual study do not have a clear idea of what the tasks and role of the EU are. 

At the same time, the institutions and organizations most trusted by young Europeans are science, the police, the United Nations, and NATO. The European Commission and the European Parliament are only in fifth place. The survey also showed that young people have little trust in political parties in their country.

In the survey, young people also showed pragmatism when answering the question of what freedom means to them. It turned out that for the majority, freedom is not an abstract concept, but something entirely concrete.

For 41 percent, living in freedom means that everyone has equal opportunities, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, social or ethnic background. Physical and mental health means freedom for 36 percent of respondents, and living without poverty for 29 percent. 

Also, 29 percent associate freedom with travel and the right to live wherever they want. 

According to the researchers, these numbers do not indicate a lack of interest in democracy, but rather point to changed priorities, as in times of growing insecurity, material, health, and social factors come to the forefront in the concept of freedom.