Generational Perspectives on Western European Democracy:The changing influence of political and economic drivers of satisfactionwith democracy

A crucial factor for the survival of democracies is the extent to which democratic attitudes are widespread in a society. Yet, in a context of increasing dissatisfaction in Western Europe, some studies suggest that younger generations express lower levels of democratic support. In this article, we take a step back and explore the generational differences in democratic attitudes. In particular, we identify some of the factors considered by new generations when evaluating the performance of West European democracies. Bringing the newly of-age Generation Z into the picture, we investigate the political drivers of satisfaction with democracy of this cohort and contrast it with those of older generations. Our results show that younger cohorts' satisfaction with democracy is more influenced by economic conditions than previous cohorts, and that ideological congruence matter less for them. The results highlight the importance of considering the economic well-being and needs of the youth to address their disenchantment with democracy.