A Qualitative Study of Youth Political Disengagement in Croatia

Political participation is commonly understood as the behavioural dimension of political engagement, encompassing voluntary citizen activities directed toward the political system (Andersen et al., 2021). Recent research consistently shows that young people participate less than older generations, and also less than before, in traditional political processes and express growing distance from institutional politics (Kitanova, 2020; Weiss, 2020). In the Croatian context, previous large-scale quantitative studies have repeatedly shown low levels of political knowledge, weak political interest, and generally low participation among young people (Gvozdanović et al., 2019; Šalaj et al., 2024). While numerous studies focus on measuring levels of youth political participation, far fewer explore the underlying reasons for political disengagement and resistance. This study addresses this gap by examining how Croatian high school students conceptualize and explain their disengagement from politics. The study is based on 12 focus groups conducted with 90 final-year high school students (36 female, 54 male) from four Croatian cities in four different counties, which are also the only cities in the country with population above than 70,000. Participants attended three educational programs: grammar schools (n = 27), four-year vocational schools (n = 32), and three-year vocational schools (n = 31). The data were analysed using thematic analysis in order to identify shared patterns of meaning in students’ accounts of politics and political (dis)engagement. Five central themes of political disengagement of youth emerged. The first theme, feelings of powerlessness, reflects a widespread belief that young people have no real influence on political processes and that change in Croatian politics is either impossible or extremely slow. The second theme, cynicism and distrust, captures strong perceptions of corruption, self-interest among politicians, and deep mistrust in political institutions. The third theme, distance from politics, includes young people’s perception of politics as remote, incomprehensible, and weakly connected to everyday life. This distance is closely linked to low political knowledge, limited exposure to political content, and the prioritization of non-political life goals. The fourth theme, negative social consequences, refers to the perceived social risks of political engagement, such as interpersonal conflicts, peer ridicule, and negative public labelling. Finally, the theme of socialization (learned resistance) highlights the role of family, school, and media in transmitting negative attitudes toward politics, fostering emotional aversion and disengagement. Comparisons across educational tracks revealed notable differences between students. Those from three-year vocational programs most strongly expressed distance and powerlessness, grammar school students most clearly recognized social risks and systemic problems, while four-year vocational students occupied an intermediate position across most themes. The findings suggest that youth political disengagement is not merely a matter of low interest, but the outcome of deeply rooted perceptions of inefficacy, distrust, social risks, and a consequence of negative political socialization. These results point to the need for stronger civic and political education, more inclusive political communication, and institutional practices that visibly acknowledge and integrate young people’s voices into political processes.