Direction Europe Foundation Presented the Results of a Survey on the Attitudes of Young People in Serbia

Direction Europe Foundation conducted a survey on the attitudes of young people in Serbia regarding populism, anti-gender narratives, and European values, with the aim of gaining a clearer understanding of young people’s perceptions, views, and concerns related to these important social issues. The survey included 478 respondents, and the findings show that young people largely recognize the presence of populist and anti-gender narratives in the public sphere, as well as their impact on society.

The results show that as many as 87.2% of respondents are at least basically familiar with the concepts of populism and anti-gender narratives, while 66.5% state that they often or occasionally notice such messages in public discourse. Social media stands out as the main space in which these narratives are recognized, followed by the media and political speeches, confirming that the digital sphere now plays a key role in shaping the views of young people.

The survey also showed that 70.1% of respondents believe that anti-gender narratives at least partly contribute to discrimination against women, LGBT+ persons, and other vulnerable groups, while 71.1% of young people consider European values — human rights, equality, democracy, and the rule of law — to be important or very important. At the same time, a large number of respondents believe that young people in Serbia do not have enough space to speak openly about gender equality and human rights, which further points to the need for more dialogue, education, and responsible public action.

The findings of this survey confirm that young people not only recognize problematic social narratives, but also clearly demonstrate a commitment to the values of tolerance, equality, and democratic society. For this reason, Direction Europe Foundation believes it is important to continue creating space for dialogue, empowering young people, and promoting European values in Serbia. 

Anyone interested in receiving the full report is welcome to contact us by email at: info@fpe.rs.