What do young Europeans want? Green transition, political divisions, democracy.

The latest research shows us the attitudes of young Europeans. What do they think about climate, politics and democratic values? We check.

With several new studies on young people in Europe, we can take a closer look at their fears and ideas about the future. Although the media often reports on generations such as Gen Z and Gen Alpha, it is only data covering a wider group of young Europeans that allows us to capture a fuller, more panoramic perspective of their worries, hopes and beliefs.

Are climate issues important to them? What is their attitude towards artificial intelligence? Are they guided by democratic values? In this article we will look for answers to these questions, and in the following sections we will take a closer look at the work, well-being and vision of the future of young Europeans.

Green transformation as a common denominator of young

Climate change is one of the topics that most connects young Europeans, which does not mean that it is always understood through the lens of the same areas. There are clear differences at the regional level. On the one hand, we are dealing with a generation that not only declares fears, but also acts realistically. On the other hand, their priorities and perceptions of the problem vary from country to country and socio-economic context.

Data from the report Nästa generationer show that young Europeans today are clearly proactive: almost everyone is involved in some form of civic action - from voting, to more informed consumer choices, to signing petitions or financial support for initiatives. Importantly, 65% of respondents expect decision-makers to take decisive action for the ecological transition, often linked to a broader change in the economic model. At the same time, climate remains one of the most important global challenges in the eyes of young people. According to a Eurobarometer survey, in 2023 almost every fourth European between the ages of 15 and 24 identified climate change as the world's most important problem, and this percentage has increased by as much as 50% compared to 2013. In the list of global threats, climate is ahead of issues such as poverty, lack of access to water and armed conflict.

However, this does not mean complete uniformity of attitudes. In most Western and Northern European countries, climate change is among the top three issues. It is different in parts of Central and Eastern Europe - including Poland - where young people are less likely to point to climate as a priority topic. On the map of Europe, the division is clearly visible: next to Poland, a similar approach prevails, among others in the Baltic States, the Czech Republic, Hungary or Romania.

These differences are also evident in the level of engagement and the areas of activity. In the study Nästa generationer Climate and environmental issues were identified as a field of activity:

42% young people in France and Spain
37% in Italy
33% in Germany
only 26% in Poland

France and Spain are therefore among the countries where mobilization around the climate is particularly strong, while Poland remains well below average.

Interestingly, young Europeans also differ in their assessment of who should be responsible for climate action. In countries such as France, Germany or Sweden, more emphasis is placed on the role of the European Union. In Poland and Slovakia, on the other hand, responsibility is more often attributed to national governmentsand in some countries, such as the Czech Republic and Latvia, also to the private sector.

However, it is worth emphasizing that even where climate is not an absolute priority, awareness of the problem is growing. Across the EU, almost two thirds of young people say they have taken concrete climate action recently, an increase of almost 50% over a decade. This shows that ecological transformation is not just a postulate - it is increasingly becoming an element of everyday choices. At the same time, as young people think about their future, the climate competes with more immediate challenges. The most important concerns today are the cost of living and global security and stability, while climate issues - while still relevant - occupy a further place. This tension between the long-term threat and current economic problems is one of the key contexts for understanding the attitudes of the younger generation in Europe.

As a result, the green transition remains a common denominator for young Europeans, but not to the same extent and not in isolation from other challenges. Rather, it is one of several parallel priorities that is gaining importance, but has to compete with the everyday realities of life.

Politically Divided? Young Europeans in the face of social issues and political

The study Nästa generationer, covering five European countries - Italy, Poland, Spain, Germany and France - shows that young Europeans perceive their political-social divisions as larger than they actually are. As many as 54% of respondents believe that they are clearly divided as a generation on the vision of the future of Europe.

However, the results of the report suggest something else. Regardless of whether young people identify with left-wing, center-right or right-wing views, their desires and ideas about the future are surprisingly close. Despite ideological differences and declared affiliation with specific political currents, there is broad agreement on key priorities; both at national and European level. Around two thirds of young Europeans support a model of society that does not focus solely on economic growth, but focuses on sustainable development, better environmental quality and more conscious participation in public life. Crucially, in order to realize this vision, young people are willing to accept certain compromises - such as slowing the pace of economic growth or curbing excessive consumption. As the report shows - 65% of young Europeans want to move away from growth as the dominant measure of prosperity and success.

One of the issues that strikes the young part of European society is the development of new technologies. Artificial intelligence is no longer just a tool for positive change, but is increasingly becoming a source of concern about the future of the labour market and its impact on social reality. Despite the tension caused by its presence and pace of development, research does not indicate a clear attitude of young people towards this phenomenon. There is no clear majority in favor of either strict regulation of AI or its wide, almost unlimited use. The results are as follows:

41% young people are in favour of tightening the rules,
34% He is in favour of a more open approach,
25% They remain undecided, regardless of political affiliation.

Another concern that concerns young Europeans is the vulnerability to false information. According to EU Youth Report 2024 More than a third of people aged 15-24 say they are exposed to misinformation and fake news. Given that disinformation is one of the components of hybrid warfare today and an extremely effective tool for creating social chaos, these figures are particularly worrying.

The group most often reporting contact with disinformation is people aged 15—24 years — more often than the cohort 25—34 years old. It is worth noting that in countries such as Sweden, France or Germany, special programs aimed at young people have already been introduced, aimed at educating and protecting against false information. In Poland and Spain, young people are included in broader programmes covering society as a whole.

Undoing democracy?

Although political divisions among young people are often larger in their perceptions than would be apparent from empirical data, a group of around 28% of young Europeans cannot be overlooked. This is a group with more traditional beliefs than the rest of their peers. These people refer to the patterns and values of the past that they would like to re-establish as common in Europe.

From the perspective of the values of the European Union - liberal in outlook, inclusive and progressive - this phenomenon is sometimes referred to as “The backlash of democracy.” However, to better understand why the beliefs of this group are interpreted in this way, it is worth looking at four statements that respondents fully agreed with in the study Nästa generationer:

Nowadays, you can't be proud of our country without exposing yourself to condemnation.
A return to traditional values is necessary to preserve the cultural identity of our country.
Social and cultural minorities (e.g. transgender people, immigrants, climate activists) have too much influence and impose their demands on society.
Politicians should be more supportive of traditional gender roles and family structures.

While none of these statements automatically imply an anti-democratic stance, when combined with the values of contemporary liberal democracies, they can provide a starting point for more radical views. They are not in themselves unacceptable in a democratic system, but they take on a different meaning in the context of data showing that around 11% of young people commit acts such as overthrowing the government by force (if it does not serve society), using violence to achieve political goals or attacking others online for their views.

While some of the actions described in the surveys as “extreme” do indeed violate the principles of democracy, others - such as illegal protests - have their place in European history as instruments of struggle for freedom and civil rights. This paradox reveals certain tensions in modern democracies that, under the pressure of a market economy, do not always effectively protect the interests of their citizens. So it seems that the current “backlash” of some young people is not only a result of thoughtless rebellion or a tendency to violence, but can also be the result of a feeling of helplessness and a lack of hope for a better future. To better understand this, it is worth looking at the economic situation of young Europeans and their position on the labour market. summary

Politics, the green transition and uncertainty about the future of democracy are just some of the challenges facing young Europeans today. In order to fully understand their situation, in the following sections of the article we will look at their position in the labour market and their sense of well-being. We will also examine their ideas about the future of Europe and check what attitudes towards the modern world are shaped by young Polish women and young Poles.

Sources

What do young Europeans want? Green transition, political divisions, democracy.

Politically Divided? Young Europeans in the face of social issues and political

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