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Between Nostalgia and New Horizons
How young Europeans imagine and shape the future
Europe’s young generations are pushing for bold change. 65% urge policymakers to take decisive steps towards ecological transformation and a rethinking of the prevailing paradigm of economic growth. At the same time, many are losing confidence in the political systems meant to deliver this change as 28% say that the way forward is, paradoxically, a step back: toward a Europe with fewer immigrants, traditional gender roles and less reckoning with the darker chapters of its history.
A green light for systemic change
Across the five countries, 82 million young people are not just voicing their concerns - they are increasingly acting on them. Nearly all engage in some form of individual civic action, such as voting, climate-conscious consumption, donating money or signing online petitions.
Almost everyone is stepping up!
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of young Europeans engage in some form of individual civic action.
43% of young Europeans go a step further by organizing collectively with like-minded peers, especially through citizens’ initiatives, protest marches or political movements. This group of highly engaged young people is far from homogeneous in its views.
How do the 43% of very active young Europeans differ by political orientation?
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Political Left
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Political Center
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Political Right
Real or imagined divides?
Yet, despite their ideological differences, there is strong agreement on the broader priorities for their countries and the EU: Close to two thirds want to live in a society that moves beyond today’s dominant focus on economic growth. They envision futures where sustainability, cleaner environments and more meaningful forms of political participation take precedence – even if it means accepting trade-offs such as slower progress or less consumer choice. Similar levels of support are found among young people who are less civically active.
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want to move beyond economic growth as the dominant measure of wellbeing and success.
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believe their generation is deeply divided on this big-picture vision.
What is remarkable is that this vision for the future is not confined to the political center. It is also visible on both the left and the right. And this comes even though 54% believe their generation is deeply divided, including but not limited to this this big-picture vision.
“Young Europeans’ shared desire to look beyond economic growth and embrace a broader understanding of what makes a livable future society could be the seed of a potent unifying vision – one that could help bridge many of the divides we see today.”
Dr. Simon Morris-Lange, Head of Research, Allianz Foundation
AI governance: A generation split on how far regulation should go
Along this path, a recurring point of contention is finding the right balance between government intervention, private-sector initiative and individual responsibility. This tension is particularly evident in debates around future technologies. On artificial intelligence, for example, no clear majority has yet emerged – neither for strict regulation nor for its broad use with minimal rules.
- 41% of young people support tighter rules
- 34% favor a more open approach
- 25% remain undecided
– all of which regardless of political affiliation.
Backlash as a risk to democracy
28% of young Europeans favor a regressive political vision of an idealized past with fewer rights for minorities and traditional gender roles.
In debates over societal transformation, one question cuts to the core: who should belong – and who should benefit – from a future society? For 28% of young Europeans, the answer lies in a regressive political vision of an idealized past, marked by less consideration for the rights of immigrants and other minorities and a return to traditional gender roles.
Regressive Values
28% of young Europeans agree or fully agree to all four statements:
- Nowadays, you can't be proud of our country without being condemned for it.
- A return to traditional values is necessary to preserve our country's cultural identity.
- I think that social and cultural minorities (e.g., transgender people, immigrants, climate activists) have too much influence and impose their demands on our society.
- Politicians should provide greater support for traditional gender roles and family structures.
Such regressive values erode the pluralism and inclusiveness that European liberal democracies aspire to uphold. They aren’t automatically anti-democratic, but they can open the door to extreme tactics that are.
Extraordinary Tactics
While regressive values are not automatically anti-democratic, the extraordinary tactics employed by today’s backlash instigators often entail a direct violation of key democratic principles, such as rule of law or even non-violence.
Alarmingly, 11% of young Europeans agree to all five of the following statements, while 25% agree to a majority:
- If the government doesn’t serve the interests of the people, it should be overthrown by force if necessary.
- I consider illegal protest actions to be a necessary means to wake up the government.
- I enjoy attacking others online for their nonsensical political opinions.
- Some politicians deserve it when anger against them turns into violence.
- Violence is morally justified to achieve political goals.
The Backlash Barometer
The Barometer shows that while the majority of young people reject radical or violent political acts, 11% consider illegal protest, abusing political opponents and even political violence to be legitimate tools for forcing change. Strikingly, 25% young people across all five countries endorse not all but a majority of these tactics – with even higher levels of support among young people on the political right.
To assess how widespread political nostalgia and radical sentiments are among young Europeans, the Study draws on a specially developed Backlash Barometer, i.e., a validated set of 16 questions designed to measure public affinity for backlash politics. The Barometer provides actionable data for European civil society and policymakers. It was created by the Allianz Foundation and the SINUS Institute in collaboration with civil-society leaders, the WZB Berlin Social Science Center, and with methodological support from the GESIS Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences.
“The extent to which radicalized subgroups question fundamental democratic principles is alarming. Their disregard for civilized debate, their hatred of those with different views, and their support for political violence are a breeding ground for radical backlash movements.”
Dr. Simon Morris-Lange, Head of Research at the Allianz Foundation
Civic action for a livable future
Despite the very real risk of political backlash, most young Europeans reject radicalism and remain committed to democratic principles such as non-violence, the rule of law and respectful debate. This resilience is reflected in their wide-ranging civic engagement, from everyday actions like climate-conscious consumption or donating to online campaigns, protests and participation in citizens’ initiatives.
Nearly all young people (97%) report taking part in at least one form of civic action. Voting, changing consumption habits, and donating are the most common, while more demanding collective actions – such as volunteering, protesting or supporting political parties or movements – attract fewer participants. Still, protest participation has risen notably since 2023, particularly in Italy, with increases also seen in Germany and Poland. Overall, 38% of young people now report having taken part in demonstrations.
Overall, 38% of young people in France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Spain have taken to the streets.
Participation shows no notable gap between genders or age groups, with only a slight tendency for higher-educated respondents to join compared to those with lower education levels.
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France
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Germany
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Italy
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Poland
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Spain
Young Europeans are primarily motivated by the defining issues of their time, including human rights, access to quality education, climate and environmental protection, peace, and the defense of civil liberties such as free speech and privacy.
From Research to Action: How to Mobilize Young Europeans?
Young people’s civic and pro-democratic potential is a resource waiting to be tapped. The Allianz Foundation Research series thus provides not only rigorous insights but also actionable mobilization pointers - by civil society, for civil society - on what is needed to build on young people’s democratic impulses and strengthen their resilience in the face of today's backlash currents.
Effective mobilization and dialogue require tailored approaches. This Study identifies six distinct types of civically engaged young Europeans - from cautious but mobilizable Hesitant Progressives and the consensus-seeking Quiet Mainstream to highly active groups like Progressive Movers on the left, the Proactive Center and Regressive Campaigners on the right, as well as disengaged Passive Regressives.
Country Highlights
France
France is home to the largest radical faction among the five countries, with 17 percent of young people fully endorsing hate speech or political violence, alongside a high level of regressive nostalgia for a “better” past (34%). Yet, in no other country do young people on the left and right align more closely in their broader visions for transformation. For more information click here.
Germany
In Germany, polarization stands out: 59 percent see their generation as deeply divided. This perception is possibly linked to high levels of political engagement at the fringes: Germany is the only country where young people on the right are more often active than passive, and it is also home to a sizable highly active left, comprising 13 percent of all young people. For more information click here.
Italy
Italy is a notable outlier. Despite deep political frustration, young people in Italy show the lowest support for regressive nostalgia (17%) and radical tactics (5%). Their strong democratic instincts are also echoed by rising levels of civic engagement – compared to two years ago. For more information click here.
Poland
In Poland, political attitudes among young people skew markedly to the regressive, as 33 percent explicitly endorse such views. Divides within the generation are especially pronounced along gender, even as overall affective polarization remains at the five-country average (54%). For more information click here.
Spain
Spain’s youth and young adults are close to the five-country average on regressive nostalgia (27%) and support for radical tactics (10%), with strong gender divides: Young men far more likely than young women to hold such views. For more information click here.