Why Europe must put youth at the heart of policymaking

In recent years, Europe has been a witness to a growing number of voices – from climate activists to entrepreneurial innovators – demanding systemic change. Yet amid the noise, one message rings clearer than ever before: young Europeans are asserting not just discontent, but a vision for a more equitable, responsive Union – and they want to be part of shaping it.

That message comes into sharp relief in Debating Europe’s latest Voices for Choices study, which canvassed over 2,000 individuals aged 18 to 35 across Denmark, France, Germany, Italy and Poland. The findings show a generation disillusioned with traditional politics, yet deeply hopeful about democracy and eager to engage. For policymakers, this duality presents both a challenge – and a unique opportunity.

Democracy, but not as usual

Young respondents were candid: “We don’t trust politicians,” several admitted – even as they reaffirmed their belief in democratic ideals. This combination of scepticism and civic faith is telling. It highlights not a wholesale rejection of structures, but frustration with how politics works, and a desire for more meaningful, transparent participation.

Such nuance often falls through the cracks in Eurobarometers and broad consensus polling. But here, the level of insight is striking: these young people see democracy as a living process, not a just checkbox. They value mechanisms that allow them to be heard – not just once every few years, but consistently, visibly, with real impact.

Youth do not see themselves merely as ‘beneficiaries’ of policies crafted by older generations, but as potential co-designers of solutions. This requires moving beyond tokenistic youth consultations towards embedded structures where young people share agenda-setting power.

Climate, AI, security: triangle of tensions

A central theme emerging from the study is the interlinked nature of the issues young Europeans care about. Climate change was, unsurprisingly, a pressing concern – but respondents were equally worried about technological ethics and economic fairness.

One participant in Berlin described the paradox vividly: “I fear our digital future will be greener – but more unequal.” His words illustrate the need for policies that don’t silo climate from social justice or technological governance.

The Voices for Choices data suggests instead a trifecta of priorities: climate resilience, AI governance and inclusive growth. In Italy, where youth unemployment remains stubbornly high, the desire for green job creation was palpable – turning climate policy into a social contract promise. In Denmark, concerns centred more on preserving social protections in an era of global competition.

Solutions exist, but they require courage. Embedding green apprenticeships into national recovery plans, mandating youth impact assessments for digital policies or expanding citizens’ assemblies on technology ethics are all examples of the kind of structural change youth participants repeatedly called for.

National nuance, European trends

While the study offers pan-European insight, it also shows that national contexts matter. In Poland, for instance, concerns about security were more frequently raised – reflecting the ongoing threats there. By contrast, in France, discussions often circled back to distrust in political elites, echoing the fallout of the gilets jaunes and pension reform protests.

This divergence matters. A one-size-fits-all EU approach risks alienating communities whose lived experience diverges from aggregate trends. Instead, the study underlines the need for flexible frameworks that respect national realities while advancing shared values – building both trust and effectiveness.

From study to strategy: what next?

The Voices for Choices report is more than a snapshot – it’s meant to inform. As the EU prepares its next Multiannual Financial Framework, these findings come at just the right moment. Yet this is where theory often falters: in action.

In Strasbourg, Berlin, Gdańsk and Prato, the study has already prompted a series of in-person events bringing together youth voices with policymakers and experts. These are working sessions – laboratories of ideas shaped by lived experience.

Drawing on those experiences, we must move from ‘participation as performance’ to participation as power. This could take concrete shape in:

• Youth co-management boards for EU funds in digital and green transitions;
• Permanent youth panels linked to the European Parliament’s committees;
• Neighbourhood-level civic labs where municipalities trial youth-designed solutions, from mobility schemes to AI use in public services.

These proposals are neither radical nor utopian; they are pragmatic steps to operationalise the demand for co-creation highlighted in the Voices for Choices report. They also echo Friends of Europe’s work towards a Renewed Social Contract – a vision for fairer, more inclusive transitions by rebalancing the roles of citizens, governments and businesses. By embedding youth voices in these processes, Europe can move from consultation to genuine co-design, making participation meaningful and policymaking more responsive. Taken together, these steps create a roadmap for European institutions to act on young people’s insights, ensuring they take part in shaping the policies that will define the continent’s future.

Why this matters for Europe – and globally

If Europe aspires to be a global beacon of democracy, it cannot afford disengagement from its youth. The Voices for Choices study shows that young people are not only willing to lead but ready to do so – if given the tools. At a time of rising geopolitical tensions and deepening digital disruption, their investment in the future is a scarce resource – one European institutions can’t ignore.

Young Europeans are speaking – and their message is clear: fix what’s broken, don’t ignore us and build a Europe rooted in trust, inclusivity and resilience. The Voices for Choices study provides policymakers with both the evidence and the mandate to lead differently.

Is Europe ready to follow up with specific commitments, shared governance models and youth-designed experiments? We cannot afford to leave youth behind and that this is the kind of thinking – and doing – that Europe’s future demands.

The views expressed in this #CriticalThinking article reflect those of the author(s) and not of Friends of Europe.