It’s not just boomers, young people are voting far right too – POLITICO

In the Netherlands, Geert Wilders’ anti-immigration far-right Freedom Party won the 2023 election on a campaign that tied affordable housing to restrictions on immigration — a focus that struck a chord with young voters. In Portugal, too, the far-right party Chega, which means “enough” in Portuguese, drew on young people’s frustration with the housing crisis, among other quality-of-life concerns. 

The analysis also points to a split: While young women often reported support for the Greens and other left-leaning parties, anti-migration parties did particularly well among young men. (Though there are some exceptions. See France, below, for example.)

Still in some countries, the far right’s popularity did not always translate to becoming favorites of the youth. In 2022, while Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s far-right Brothers of Italy received votes from every age bracket, data suggested the young favored left-wing parties more.

German and Finnish data suggests the leftist Greens — which capitalized on the youth vote in the past — are now losing ground.

Young voters across Europe are veering toward newer parties, which include far-right platforms, whereas many long-established, centrist parties still rely on support from older voters, said Josse de Voogd, a Dutch researcher who has made electoral geography his specialty.

“AfD in Germany doesn’t even have to grow to become the largest, because [the Socialists] and the [Christian Democrats] will naturally shrink, and the young voters are scattered across all parties,” he said, referring to the far–right Alternative for Germany.