The Right-Wing Shift Among Young Europeans

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Young Europeans and Right-Wing Politics
   1. Finland
   2. Sweden
   3. Italy
   4. Germany
   5. France
   6. Central Europe
3. Comparison with Anglophone Countries
   1. UK
   2. US
   3. Australia
4. Possible Explanations
   1. Moralistic Views
   2. Anti-Immigration Sentiments
   3. Political Systems
5. Conclusion
6. FAQ

Young Europeans and Right-Wing Politics

In recent years, there has been a noticeable shift towards right-wing politics among young Europeans. While it has long been believed that people become more conservative as they age, this trend seems to be reversing in many European countries. In this article, we will explore this phenomenon, its possible causes, and how it compares to the political landscape in Anglophone countries.

Finland

In Finland, the Nationalist Finn's Party is the most popular party among 18 to 29-year-olds, with 26% of the vote. This is eight points ahead of the Second-placed Greens.

Sweden

Sweden has also shown signs of this phenomenon. In 2022, the right-wing Sweden Democrats won 22% of voters aged 18 to 21, up from 12% in 2018.

Italy

In Italy, the ruling right-wing Fratelli d'Italia party is remarkably popular with young people. A technique poll from just before last year's election found that Meloni's party was the most popular party among 18 to 21-year-olds, with 23% support, closely followed by another right-wing party, Lega, on 22%.

Germany

At the 2021 Saxony-Anhalt Regional elections, the far-right AfD won a plurality of voters in every age bracket from 18 to 44. While the AfD performed poorly among young people at the federal elections, the most popular party for first-time voters was actually the economically right-wing pro-business FDP.

France

In France, young people generally preferred Le Pen to Macron, who fared best with pensioners and over 50s. However, it's important not to overstate this. While Le Pen did better than Macron, their preferred candidate was still Jean-Luc Melanchon, a left-wing firebrand who now heads up the left-wing NOOBS coalition.

Central Europe

This trend is not entirely new. In the 2010s, many central European right-wing parties became remarkably popular with young people and first-time voters. Poland's Law and Justice party was by far and away the most popular choice for first-time voters in 2014, garnering roughly a third of the vote. In Hungary, which has been led by Orban's right-wing Fidesz party for over a decade, polling from 2015 found that a plurality of students wanted to vote for Jobbik, a political party even further right than Fidesz. In Slovakia's 2016 elections, 24% of first-time voters voted for the People's Party, a far-right group that won just 8% of the vote across Slovakia as a whole.

Comparison with Anglophone Countries

This trend towards right-wing politics among young people in Europe stands in stark contrast to the political landscape in Anglophone countries like the UK, the US, and Australia. In both the US and UK, for example, Millennials are actually getting more left-wing as time goes on. Before the 2019 general election in the UK, YouGov gave Labour a 43-point lead among voters aged 18 to 24 and a 24-point lead amongst voters aged 25 to 34. Young Australians also deserted Scott Morrison's Coalition party at last year's elections, and young Americans were significantly more likely to vote Democrat at last year's midterms, especially young women.

Possible Explanations

There are several possible explanations for why young Europeans are shifting right, unlike their Anglophone counterparts.

Moralistic Views

First, Europeans are far more moralistic than their UK and American counterparts and far more likely to view poverty as a choice. Young Europeans are actually more conservative in this respect than previous generations. OECD polling from 2018 found that 18 to 29-year-olds across Europe were more likely than older generations to attribute poverty to "laziness" or "lack of willpower". This isn't the same in the UK or the US, where the discourse around racial and social justice has made young people more, not less, favorable to wealth redistribution.

Anti-Immigration Sentiments

Second, young Europeans are generally more anti-immigration. While young Europeans are more likely to think that immigration is a good thing than older generations, they strongly prefer EU over non-EU immigration and are about as likely as previous generations to support "additional measures to fight illegal immigration". In fact, until last year, young Europeans put immigration as the most important problem in the EU, ahead of the environment. This is a stark contrast to the US and the UK. In the US, only 20% of Americans under the age of 35 were in favor of Trump's wall on the Mexican border. In the UK, young people are far more pro-immigration than their parents, and immigration hasn't been top of their concerns since 2015.

Political Systems

Third, it might have something to do with Europe's political systems. In part because they're representative rather than majoritarian, Europe's political systems are now more pluralistic than the US and the UK. In other words, Europeans usually have multiple parties to choose from, whereas in the US or the UK, there are only two real options. The right-wing parties that young Europeans like usually have an anti-establishment bend, and it might just be that young people think the Current system isn't working, so vote for the most anti-establishment party out there. In Europe, that might be a new right-wing startup, but in the UK or the US, there's not really a viable anti-establishment option, so young Brits and Americans just have to settle for Labour or the Democrats.

Conclusion

In conclusion, young Europeans are shifting right, while young people in Anglophone countries are becoming more left-wing. There are several possible explanations for this trend, including moralistic views, anti-immigration sentiments, and Europe's political systems. It remains to be seen whether this trend will Continue or whether young Europeans will eventually become more left-wing like their Anglophone counterparts.

FAQ

Q: Why are young Europeans shifting right? A: There are several possible explanations, including moralistic views, anti-immigration sentiments, and Europe's political systems.

Q: How does this trend compare to the political landscape in Anglophone countries? A: In Anglophone countries like the UK, the US, and Australia, young people are becoming more left-wing.

Q: Is this trend new? A: This trend is not entirely new. In the 2010s, many central European right-wing parties became remarkably popular with young people and first-time voters.

Q: Will this trend continue? A: It remains to be seen whether this trend will continue or whether young Europeans will eventually become more left-wing like their Anglophone counterparts.