Shifting Notions of Democracy: Ten Years of Change of European Youth Attitudes

In recent years, scholars have expressed growing concern about whether citizens in consolidated democracies are turning their back on democracy. Contemporary trends, such as the rise of populism, authoritarianism, and democratic backsliding —often supported by substantial segments of the electorate— have prompted questions about the depth and nature of citizen’s support for democracy. While overall global support for the democratic ideal remains high, voters frequently choose leaders who challenge democratic norms or tolerate undemocratic behaviour when it comes from their own political in-group. This inquiry has extended to the democratic attitudes of the youngest generations, examining the long-term consequences of socialization in highly polarized democratic environments marked by frequent populist rhetoric and erosion of democratic norms. Recent studies, however, offer mixed evidence, with some suggesting a generational reversal in democratic support (Foa and Mounck, 2016: Claassen and Magalhães, 2023), while others find no clear indication that young people are growing disillusioned with democracy (Wuttke et al., 2019; Zilinsky, 2019). The mixed conclusions in recent studies can be attributed in part to the use of survey indicators with unclear interpretations, particularly those tapping into abstract support for democracy without further qualification—such as the conventional item assessing support for democracy as the best form of government. While overall support for the democratic system of government may remain robust among the youngest generations, there is a notable absence of evidence regarding the nuanced meaning of 'democracy' for them and the extent of their support for the fundamental principles of liberal democracy. This lack of clarity contributes to the varying findings on the state of democratic attitudes among young people. This paper employs novel data sourced from two rounds of the European Social Survey (ESS-6 and ESS-10) to delve into Europeans' evolving expectations and evaluations of democracy. Focusing on citizens' opinions across 24 European societies, the study aims to scrutinize nuanced changes in the perceptions of the different dimensions that compose democracy among younger generations over the past decade. Specifically, it explores whether younger cohorts are becoming less supportive of the fundamental tenets of liberal democracy and how their perspectives differ from those of older counterparts. Additionally, by integrating individual-level datasets with macro-level information on the electoral support of populist parties and democratic backsliding, the paper examines how these overarching trends impact the democratic views of the youngest generation.