Young Europeans losing faith in democracy, poll finds

Support is lowest in France, Spain and Poland, while 21% back authoritarian rule under certain circumstances

EU flags fly in a row in front of the European Commission building in Brussels, Belgium. File picture

Only half of young people in France and Spain believe that democracy is the best form of government, with support even lower among their Polish counterparts, a study has found.

A majority from Europe’s generation Z — 57% — prefer democracy to any other form of government. Rates of support varied significantly, however, reaching just 48% in Poland and only about 51-52% in Spain and France, with Germany highest at 71%.