Summarised by Centrist
Recent EU Parliament elections reveal a rightward shift among young European “Gen Z” males, especially in significant voting blocs like France and Germany.
In Germany, 22% of young Germans support the AfD, up from 12% in 2023, making it the most popular party among this demographic. France sees similar trends with Marine Le Pen’s National Rally garnering substantial support from young voters. In contrast, youth in Anglophone countries like the US, UK and Australia continue to lean left, particularly females.
This divergence reflects a growing gender split in political alignment.
Editor’s note: NZ is not immune to these trends. One theory suggests that the dominance of females in universities, coupled with Myers-Briggs personality profiling showing more females as ‘feelers’ and males as ‘thinkers,’ explains this divide.
Moreover, while previous generations have shifted right with age, Millennials remain left-leaning, likely due to disillusionment with traditional aspirations like home ownership, driving their focus towards social justice and environmental issues.