Resource context (publisher & authors)
This resource is the “Young Europe 2025” youth study, published by the TUI Stiftung (a charitable foundation based in Hannover). The report presents findings from an online survey carried out by YouGov Deutschland GmbH among young people aged 16–26 across seven European countries (Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Poland and the United Kingdom). The publication lists no named authors.
Sample, method and comparability
Fieldwork ran from 23 April to 19 May 2025, with 6,703 respondents recruited from YouGov’s in-house online panels. Samples were built with quotas for age, gender and education, and results were weighted to correct minor deviations; “overall” results were additionally weighted so each country contributes equally. Some EU-related questions were not asked in the UK because perspectives differ between the UK and EU member states. 🇪🇺 European identity and attitudes to EU membership Across countries, 59% describe themself as at least partly European. EU membership is rated positively by 66% overall (up from 56% in 2024), with particularly high approval in Germany (80%). On the EU’s future, 42% want closer integration and more EU competences, but only 27% expect this to happen within five years, indicating a growing “desire–expectation” gap.
Affordability, migration and climate in the issue agenda
When asked about the EU’s most important current political problems, “migration and asylum” ranks highest (37% list it in their top three), followed by “economy and financial policy” (33%). “Environmental and climate protection” is also among the top topics (28%), alongside “foreign policy and defence” (28%). On what the EU should prioritise, the most selected item is making living costs and prices affordable for all citizens (38%), with other frequently named priorities including defending against external threats (24%), improving conditions for economic growth (23%) and promoting climate protection (23%).
Democracy: preference, satisfaction and perceived risk
A majority (57%) state that democracy is preferable to any other form of government, while 21% say an authoritarian form could be preferable in certain circumstances and 8% say it does not matter. Satisfaction with how democracy functions is uneven across countries; only Germany (45% satisfied) and the UK (37%) show higher levels of satisfaction than dissatisfaction, while satisfaction is markedly lower in France (26%) and Spain (21%). Across all countries, 61% agree that democracy in their country is at risk.
The EU’s role in a shifting global order
Young respondents most often identify the USA as one of the three most powerful global actors (83%), followed by China (75%) and Russia (57%). Only 42% place the EU among the three most powerful. Still, 51% believe the EU could become a major global actor if it changes “fundamental things,” especially by improving economic success (35%) and cohesion among member states (34%).
Polarisation and shifting self-placement
The study analyses affective polarisation on immigration, climate protection, equality and welfare-state issues. Compared with 2021, the share identifying as right of centre increases in multiple countries (e.g., Germany 8%→14%, France 15%→21%, Spain 15%→22%), while left-of-centre identification also rises in some places (e.g., Germany 32%→43%). On immigration, the report notes rising scepticism in several countries (for example, in Germany the share wanting to further limit immigration rises from 24% to 37%).
Relevance for sustainable housing and social cohesion
While not a housing study, the findings are relevant to sustainable and affordable living in Europe because affordability (“living costs and prices”) is the top priority young people want the EU to address, and political trust and social cohesion are framed as prerequisites for effective long-term policy responses. The report also connects the past years’ crises (COVID-19, the war in Ukraine, and the climate crisis) to young people’s expectations of EU action and governance performance.