Across Europe, a growing number of young people are ready to take action on urgent challenges such as climate change, inequality, and social justice. For civil society leaders, this is a unique opportunity: a generation that is motivated, diverse, and eager to shape the future. The question is how to engage them effectively.

Our research shows that two factors most influence youth engagement: political orientation and willingness to take risks. Based on these insights, we developed a segmentation model that identifies six distinct civic action types. Each group has its own motivations, barriers, and preferred ways of participating. Understanding these differences is key to designing strategies that turn readiness into impact. 

This younger, mostly female group shares progressive values but prefers low-intensity participation, so they vote, make ethical lifestyle choices and sign petitions but are reluctant to take on bigger commitments. They are especially present in Spain and Germany and can be mobilized with the right encouragement.

This young and mostly female group is highly educated and active on the political left. They are deeply committed to equality, social justice and sustainability and often take leadership roles in movements, workplaces and institutions. They combine street activism with institutional engagement and resist regressive backlash narratives. 

This group is right-leaning, mostly male and politically very active. Over half see themselves as highly political and participate far above average in civic action. Many believe the “silent majority” must reclaim democracy and accept radical tactics, with 54% approving illegal protest and 41% saying political violence can be justified. They exist in every country, from 12% of young people in Italy to 16% in Poland.

Acceptance of radical tactics

What makes Regressive Campaigners especially concerning is not their level of organization or their ideological divergence from the largely progressive thrust of mainstream politics seen in much of Europe over the past two decades. All of that falls within the bounds of democratic pluralism. Nor is it per se their embrace of retrograde or even regressive backlash narratives. The real concern is that a sizable, radicalized faction of Regressive Campaigners (24%) is fully accepting of the radical tactics often associated with backlash movements. More than half endorse illegal protest and half call for more provocative language in politics - over twice the average among young Europeans.

These moderate centrists are civically active and engaged in both mainstream and activist spaces. They vote, sign petitions, donate and join protests or boycotts more often than the politically disengaged. They also support a broad range of issues such as education, human rights and the environment and tend to reject polarization. They are especially common in Italy (22%) and represent a bridge-building middle.

The Quiet Mainstream is the largest of the six groups (29%). However, together with their right-leaning peers, the Passive Regressives, its members are the least civically active of all the groups. As somewhat of a “silent majority,” they form a core electorate that many centrist and center-right parties across Europe rely on for support.
 

This older, more male group leans conservative and has low overall activism. They favor traditional values and are frustrated with current politics but avoid radical tactics. Most engage only in low-barrier activities such as voting and donating. They are most common in France (20%) and Poland (19%).