Why is European youth gravitating towards the extreme right? – KNfins

Why is European youth gravitating towards the extreme right?

In this month’s elections for the European Parliament, far-right parties achieved a predictably strong result—especially surprising among young voters.

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Research institutes were caught off guard by the rise of populism in 2016, but many now recognize that they perhaps should not have been surprised.

Just a few years ago, the “climate generation”—often seen as progressive and liberal—predominantly supported the Greens. However, in this election cycle, their votes helped far-right parties secure a quarter of the seats in Brussels.

It may be that the feeling of being “left behind” is not just a geographical phenomenon, but also a generational one. Generation Z—born between 1995 and 2012—has been shaped by a series of crises: first the global financial crisis of 2008, followed by the sovereign debt crisis in the Eurozone the following year, then the Covid-19 pandemic, and now the war in Europe.

More and more young people believe they will face greater challenges than their parents. Why should a generation that feels left behind be less susceptible to the allure of populism than those who have been left behind.

Roberto Foa, co-director of the Centre for the Future of Democracy at the University of Cambridge and a leading researcher on young people’s dissatisfaction with democracy, identifies “two major divides” in Western societies.

“There is the prosperity divide between the economically successful and the left-behind in the regions, as well as the intergenerational divide in life opportunities,” he explained.

Political scientists may have long overlooked both groups, assuming they were separate. However, their apathy is now transforming into antipathy—a renewed desire to challenge the system.

“If you are a political strategist looking to break the established system, these are the groups you can mobilize to gain new support,” Foa noted. He emphasizes that this trend is not new: “I’m surprised people are still surprised.”

The support of young people for far-right parties has been notable in several European countries. In Germany, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) received 16% of the votes from those under 25 in the EU elections, tripling their votes in this age group compared to 2019. In France, the Rassemblement National (RN) was the most popular party among voters under 34, achieving 32% of the votes, an increase of 10 points since 2019. In Poland, 30% of voters under 30 supported the far-right party Konfederacja, compared to 18.5% in 2019.

These parties also saw significant increases in support in the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, and Austria, and continue to perform strongly in Italy.

Consider these political proposals: income tax exemptions for young people, corporate tax exemptions for new businesses for five years, wage subsidies for working students, the construction of 100,000 student dormitories, and free rail travel. This platform may appear typical of the extreme left but was actually the offering from Marine Le Pen in the French presidential elections of 2022, which she narrowly lost.

Young people responded positively: nearly half of voters aged 25 to 34 supported Le Pen, compared to 41% of the general population and 29% of voters over 70.

While older voters brought Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency and drove Brexit in the UK, it was older voters in France who kept the extreme right in check.

However, this dynamic may soon change. After Macron’s party, Renaissance, was defeated by the extreme right in the EU elections, the French president called for early parliamentary elections, which could lead to Jordan Bardella, the 28-year-old RN leader, becoming France’s prime minister next month.

For Arthur Prevot, head of the RN youth wing in Paris, the potential rise of Jordan Bardella to leadership in France is good news. He criticizes Macron’s presidency, arguing that it has not improved the situation for young people.

These economic concerns led Prevot to join a party that may soon lead France, even while Macron remains in office.

Jonathan Verbeken, a candidate for the RN in the 15th district of Paris, explained that his decision to join the party was motivated by directly witnessing the daily suffering of people and the need to respond.

For many older voters, the RN remains a concerning prospect, despite the party’s efforts to “normalize” itself over the years. Older generations still remember the party’s anti-Semitic and neo-fascist origins.

Young voters, on the other hand, seem less troubled by these stories. According to Simon Schnetzer, author of a recent study on young Germans, “they are new voters, a blank slate. What influences their decisions the most is: who can provide solutions that best meet their needs?”

The lack of historical baggage, combined with the decline of center-left parties in many parts of Europe, has allowed the extreme right to be seen as a respectable alternative, especially when it presents economic solutions to the problems facing young people.

Sarah-Lee Heinrichs, a 23-year-old politician from the German Greens, notes that economic concerns have become much more pronounced among young people since the last European Parliament elections in 2019, when the Greens became the second-largest party in Germany for the first time.

With the effects of the pandemic, the full-scale war in Ukraine, and rising inflation, environmental protection is no longer at the top of young people’s priority lists, Heinrichs says.

Along with economic insecurity comes intensified opposition to immigration, nearly a decade after the continent—especially Germany—welcomed a record number of refugees fleeing the war in Syria.

A new and alarming trend began recently when a short video filmed on the German holiday island of Sylt was posted on X (formerly Twitter). In the video, well-dressed young Germans chant slogans like “Foreigners out!” and “Germany for the Germans!” to the beat of a Eurodance song from 1999.

Since then, these chants have spread across the country, which is currently hosting the Euro 2024 football championship. The appeal of these slogans is not limited to Germans. During a match between Italy and Spain last week, spectators in the stadium could hear their own versions of these chants.

After her center-right bloc secured the majority of seats in the European Parliament, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen took the stage in Brussels for a victory speech.

However, the tone of her speech was darker than triumphant. She emphasized the importance of defending European values: integration, democracy, and the rule of law.

Abstract values like integration, democracy, and the rule of law may seem distant and irrelevant to today’s young voters. Simon Schnetzer highlights that for many young people, the priority is to assess whether a political platform can meet their immediate needs, provide entertainment, security, or simply fun. He compares this logic to the fast-paced and engaging dynamic of TikTok, where a lack of immediate interest can lead to quick disinterest.

While traditional politicians deliver serious speeches, the extreme right is gaining ground on social media, especially TikTok. Jordan Bardella from the RN and Maximilian Krah from the AfD are among those using this platform to connect with a young audience, often with casual content and various tips, from wine tastings to controversial opinions on politics and society.

Figures like Nigel Farage also leverage this trend to reach millions with often disrespectful content. This approach aims to engage an audience that is increasingly indifferent to traditional distinctions between entertainment and politics.

The volatility of political support among young people is evident, as Roberto Foa notes. They are not loyal to specific parties, and their preferences can change rapidly between elections. Although they strongly supported the Greens in 2019, current support for the extreme right may wane if these parties come to power and fail to deliver on their promises.

However, the recent success of far-right parties reflects a troubling trend. Foa observes a growing inclination among young people towards authoritarianism, possibly due to a lack of personal experience with authoritarian regimes or the historical challenges faced by earlier generations in defending democracy.

The rise of the extreme right should serve as a wake-up call for traditional political leaders in Europe. While democracy may be viewed as the best available option, young people’s dissatisfaction suggests they may be less committed to the system than previous generations. The response to this challenging dynamic could determine the political future of the continent, a timely reminder of Churchill’s famous quote about democracy.

Picture of Ella Bailey
Ella Bailey

an editor at KNfins since 2024.

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