SARAJEVO, November 5 (FENA) – Youth in the region show significant distrust towards democracy, indicating a notable inclination towards authoritarian practices, as highlighted today during the presentation of two important reports: the Regional Youth Study 2024 for Southeast Europe and the Bosnia and Herzegovina Youth Report, both examining the attitudes, opinions, and positions of young people.

The Youth Study 2024 SEE is a comparative regional report based on data from 12 countries in the region, providing a comprehensive overview of youth perspectives in Southeast Europe. It was prepared by the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung for Bosnia and Herzegovina and Dialogue Southeast Europe, in collaboration with the Faculty of Political Science at the University of Sarajevo.

Regional coordinator Ema-Džejna Smolo-Zukan noted that similar research was conducted in 2015 and then again in 2018.

“We believe youth are present as a topic, but we do not involve them enough in decision-making. With this, we aim to add a new dimension to understanding the needs and opinions of young people,” she emphasized.
She added that the study covered a sample of nearly 9,000 young people across 12 countries in Southeast Europe, and today they would present their representative views on politics, political values, daily life, fears, concerns, aspirations to migrate, and much more.

Professor Jasmin Hasanović, the main author of the Southeast Europe Youth Study, said it is difficult to generalize and find a universal parameter that unites all these young people, as they come from diverse political, social, cultural, and religious backgrounds.

“If we could identify one parameter common to all these young people, even those within the EU and those outside it, it would be issues of existential nature, namely socioeconomic concerns, which are the aspect that most troubles youth in this region,” he pointed out.

As a concerning trend, Hasanović noted a marked tendency of distrust in democracy compared to their 2018 study.

“This implies a significant inclination towards authoritarian practices. This could serve as a corrective to existing democracy if we know how to harness this potential and not leave it to the far-right,” he said.

He also highlighted an interesting trend of youth turning to online activism.

“If they do not vote or participate in politics, their focus shifts to online activism, which is very problematic because online activism actually solves nothing. You think you have a space where you are free, but in reality, it is highly censored, as seen with pro-Palestinian content,” Hasanović noted.

Professor Amer Osmić, the main author of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Youth Study, said that young people in BiH are inclined towards skepticism regarding the social system, starting with education, healthcare, and perceptions of security.

“The study shows that young people spend a lot of time primarily on social networks as a source of information. They are very disinterested in politics, perceiving it as a very negative aspect covered in corruption, and they want to stay as far away from such processes as possible,” he stated.

When they do engage in politics, he added, it is mostly to resolve a personal issue, such as employment.

“Young people think it’s more important to have a connection with someone in politics than to possess competence, skills, and knowledge. They do not view education as one of the most significant segments, yet they want to have an adequate education,” he said.

He also emphasized that young people express a strong desire to leave BiH but are not open to receiving migrants, whether they are economic, social, or political.

“They expect hospitality but are not hospitable in that regard. Youth in BiH remain quite conservative, be it in terms of political views or attitudes toward others and those who are different,” Osmić concluded.