• Hotznplotzn@lemmy.sdf.org
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    1 day ago

    This is a very weird framing of this study. The original study (which is linked in the article) is in German. Those who don’t speak German will find a useful translation provider, I provide the study’s summary literal translation:

    >Young people: EU and democracy are good, but reforms are needed

    • 57% prefer democracy to any other form of government - 39% think that the EU does not function particularly democratically
    • Young Europeans want change - 53% criticize the EU for being too preoccupied with trivialities instead of focusing on the essentials
    • Cost of living, defense against external threats and better conditions for businesses should be priorities for the EU
    • Only 42% think that the EU is one of the three most powerful global political players

    Among others, the study also says (again, a direct translation, I am not paraphrasing):

    48% of young Europeans believe that democracy in their country is under threat, compared to 61% in Germany. Two thirds rate their country’s membership of the EU as positive. At the same time, 53% of young people criticize the fact that the EU is too often concerned with minor issues. Half of 16 to 26-year-olds think the EU is a good idea, but very poorly implemented.

    I don’t say that everything is perfect, but the whole study paints a completely different picture than this article - and especially its headline - appears to suggest.

    [Edit my comments for clarity, translation has not been edited.]