A very diverse youth, but with common concerns for issues of environmental protection, the fight against inequalities – in particular between women and men – and purchasing power. Two months before the first round of the presidential election, it is a portrait full of nuances that delivers the great survey #MoiJeune2022, published this Wednesday by 20 minutes and OpinionWay and whose results we reveal to you exclusively*.
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A thirst for equality and ecology
Which France in five years? 29% of 18-30 year olds would like above all that it be “more egalitarian” and 23% “more ecological”. Economic prosperity is cited by 16% of respondents, tied with “a safer France” and one point ahead of “a France more proud of itself”. No theme stands out clearly: “We could have expected two-thirds to tell us ‘more ecological’, but no answer really stands out”, underlines Bruno Jeanbart, vice-president of OpinionWay.
The picture is quite different for the measures favored by 18-30 year olds. There is a very broad consensus on “strengthening measures against animal abuse” (87%), banning “products harmful to biodiversity” (79%) and hunting on weekends and public holidays (68 %) or even in favor of the taxation of products “which come from the other side of the world”. Environmental concerns that go hand in hand with social issues (86% of 18-30 year olds are asking for an increase in the health budget, 69% for the legalization of surrogacy and 50% for cannabis) or safety (56% advocate “the expulsion of foreigners imprisoned in France”). On the other hand, certain measures are massively rejected, like the lowering of the right to vote to 16 years and the taxation of inheritances (at 72%).
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Marked differences between women and men
The #MoiJeune2022 study shows very different mobilization levers for women and men. “We see a gender divide which is very strong in this survey, as in previous #MoiJeune surveys”, points out Burno Jeanbart. “What would be the first causes for which you would be the most ready to fight? asked OpinionWay. “The fight against violence and sexual assault”, answer young women at 45%, ahead of environmental protection (42%) and gender equality (33%). Priorities that do not appear in the same order among young men, as shown in the infographic below:
Asked about their priority wishes for their future, young people aged 18 to 30 mention essential needs: to be in good health (44%), to get by financially (43%), “not to be unhappy” (38%) or “starting a family” (31%). Themes that could seem more important for young people come next: “Finding yourself” (26%), “finding a job that makes sense” (24%), “having very good friends” (21%) or “having a lot of free time for yourself” (16%).
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“No consensus on the situation of the country”
As is the case for most subjects, “there is no consensus among young people on the situation in the country”, observes Bruno Jeanbart. It would therefore be wrong to consider “young people” as a homogeneous entity. 56% of 20-somethings consider their situation “better” or “similar” to that of their parents at the same age, compared to 43% who consider it “worse”. In a comparable order of magnitude, 44% consider French society “fair” against 55% who find it “unfair”. And 51% of 18-30 year olds believe that immigration plays a “positive” role when 47% describe it as “negative”.
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Few hopes for the presidential election
For nearly half of young people (49%), the elections “do not allow things to change”. Only 52% of 20-somethings believe that their personal situation will improve if their preferred candidate is elected. Last but not least96% of young people will vote for a candidate according to “its measures for France” against 3% according to “its measures for young people”.
*Study #MoiJeune 20 Minutes – OpinionWay, conducted online from January 5 to 7 with a representative sample of 1,026 young people aged 18 to 30 (quota method).