Fifty-seven percent of young Europeans consider democracy the best form of government , but 21% would tolerate authoritarianism in certain situations, according to a recently published survey by YouGov which spoke to 6,700 respondents aged 16–26 across Britain, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Greece, and Poland.
Support for democracy varies widely—from 71% in Germany to under 52% in France and Spain, and a mere 48 percent in Poland.
Only a minority of respondents (6%) say that the political system of their own country works fully well and does not need to be changed. Thirty-nine percent think that the EU does not function particularly democratically.
The study links the erosion of trust to young people’s frustration with governments’ inability to tackle urgent issues, such as the cost-of-living crisis.
Young Europeans want change—53% criticise the EU for being too concerned with small things instead of concentrating on the essentials, such as cost of living, defence against external threats, and better conditions for businesses.
