Youth Study SEE 2024/2025 – Independent but concerned

Young people's fear of war, violence, unemployment, illness, and the climate crisis has grown significantly. These worries stem partly from concerns about the quality of public services. As the welfare state weakens, many young people view state institutions negatively. To rebuild their trust, we need to invest in programs that support the welfare state and address social inequalities through fairer resource distribution.

Ethnonationalism is one of the greatest threats to democracies in the region. Compared to the last youth study, we are seeing a slight decline of ethnonationalism in some countries of the region. While it is still an issue among young people in South East Europe, this development shows that initiatives countering divisive ideologies can work. However, it is important that ethnonationalism is more widespread among young men than young women. Likewise, young men report having more political knowledge and interest than women. These two tendencies do not necessarily reinforce each other, but they paint a picture of who is more likely to be a politically active young person in Southeast Europe. The need to continue educating young people on the dangers of ethnonationalism remains. Initiatives for intercultural exchange and educational programs that highlight the importance of diversity and democratic values need support.

Job insecurity is one of the biggest concerns of young people in the region. Precarious employment and insecure jobs are prevalent. In all Western Balkan countries, the number of young people with permanent contracts has decreased dramatically. The gender gap in unemployment is particularly worrying, as young women are more likely to be unemployed than young men. This increases gender inequality and harms democratic development. Countering these developments requires, among other things, labor market reforms in cooperation with regional governments and the EU.

Respondents in almost all countries in the region believe that relationships with people in positions of power and party affiliation are important factors in getting a job. However, expertise in a field is also considered important. Therefore, promoting education and training for young people in Southeast Europe is important. One-third of the young people surveyed do not have access to adequate school and vocational training due to economic constraints and inadequate infrastructure. Corruption within the education system is a predominant problem and often the first experience with corruption that young people have. To counteract these trends, targeted investments must be made in education and training infrastructure and projects for sustainable economic development.

In all countries in the region, whether they are members of the EU or not, the willingness to migrate has increased. The increasing willingness of young people to migrate is clearly due to economic and political discontent. To counteract these movements, regional and European actors must take targeted measures. Opportunities on the ground must be improved, and political actors must take responsibility. Especially in non-EU countries, it is crucial to maintain young people's optimism about the future of their countries in the EU, through supporting the integration process.

When it comes to migration, there is a significant difference between EU member states and non-EU member states. Within EU member states, circular migration is more prevalent in every respect than in non-EU member states. Economic and political reasons are the primary motivations for permanent relocation, while academic and cultural reasons favor short-term stays abroad. In this case, gender inequalities can also be recorded. Even though participation in educational mobility programs has overall increased, especially in EU countries, young men tend to participate more often than young women.

The study shows a slight increase in political interest and self-rated political knowledge compared to the previous youth study, although both levels are still very low among respondents. Political interest and self-rated political knowledge are higher among men, those with higher levels of education, and those living in cities. The vast majority of young people feel underrepresented in national politics, with this feeling being most pronounced among young women. Political engagement among young people is essential for a healthy democracy. National and international actors must work towards greater youth representation in political structures and ensure that politics reflects the diverse interests of youth.

Economic prosperity, democracy, human rights, the situation on the labor market, etc., are perceived by respondents as more important and better in the EU than in their own country. (The same attitude was observed in the countries surveyed that are members of the EU, which indicates a divide among the EU members). Trust in democracy is decreasing, and the desire for a strong head of state is increasing. In general, young people share many ambivalent views. This makes it all the more important to strengthen the values of the European Union and a pluralist democracy.