Generation Z in the UK is increasingly drawn to authoritarian and populist politics, according to recent surveys, with many young people expressing support for strongman leaders and radical changes to the political system. A Mail on Sunday poll of 18- to 27-year-olds found 67% favoured chemical castration for sex offenders and 45% backed the death penalty. Meanwhile, a Channel 4 study reported that 52% of Gen Zers agreed the UK would be better off with a strong leader unconstrained by parliament and elections, and 33% thought the country would improve if the army were in charge.
Experts say this disillusionment stems from a sense that the political establishment has failed to address existential crises like climate change. Professor Linda Woodhead of King's College London noted that 40% of young people surveyed in the UK and US believe the political system needs major reform, and 15% consider it entirely broken. She highlighted a disconnect between the freedom Gen Z experiences online and the frustrations of dealing with traditional institutions. 'Online, they get a lot of voice. They find it disillusioning when they don't have that same level of recognition in traditional institutions,' she said.
Dr Daniel Evans, a sociologist at Swansea University, described young people as 'desperate for change' amid high living costs and poor job prospects. He observed that middle-class youth, in particular, feel their prospects are worse than their parents' and see no viable political alternative. 'In 2017, they had a populist-left alternative in Jeremy Corbyn. But they don't have that now,' Evans said, adding that some are looking to strongman figures like Donald Trump as a result.
However, other researchers caution against demonising Gen Z. Professor Bobby Duffy of King's College London noted that support for democracy among Gen Z is actually higher than among millennials at the same age, based on World Values Survey data. He predicted this support would grow as they age, as it has with previous generations. Some polling experts also question the validity of surveys like Channel 4's, warning they may exaggerate generational divides.
