Young people in Europe are ready to shape democracy’s future

Τελευταία ενημέρωση Τετάρτη, 28/10/2026

A new Eurobarometer survey on Youth and Democracy published by the European Commission shows that young Europeans are engaged, active and ready to contribute to the future of European democracy.

Young people want policies that address real challenges

The survey shows that young people want youth policies to focus above all on the issues they face in their everyday lives. When asked about the top priority for efficient youth policies, 40% said that addressing the real issues affecting young people should come first.

The EU matters in young people’s daily lives

A large majority of respondents (75%) acknowledge that EU action has an impact on their daily lives.

When asked what they expect the EU to deliver for their generation, young people most often mentioned preserving peace (33%), fighting poverty and economic and social inequalities (32%) and creating more job opportunities for young people (31%).

Participation in democratic and civic life is on the rise

The survey also points to a growing level of engagement among young people.

More than half of respondents (55%) said they had taken part in at least one action to change society in the past year, up from 48% in the 2024 Eurobarometer.

Participation in organisations has also increased significantly. In the last 12 months, 75% of young people took part in the activities of one or more organisations, compared with 64% in 2024. The most frequently mentioned organisations were sports clubs (26%) and youth clubs or youth organisations (20%).

Shaping the future of EU youth policy

The survey offers valuable insight into how young Europeans view participation to democratic life, mobility, intergenerational fairness and the role of the EU in their lives. Its findings are feeding into the prepartion of Commission’s proposal on the post-2027 EU Youth Strategy, helping shape future EU youth policy.

The Flash Eurobarometer on Youth and Democracy was carried out between 19 June and 1 July 2026. It gathered the views of a sample of 26,806 young people aged 15 to 30 across all 27 EU Member States through computer-assisted web interviewing.

Find out more on the results of the Youth and Democracy Eurobarometer