Young adults: activating hope for policy change

Abstract

This article outlines the reasons for the aversion of young Polish women and men to politics, expressed in a lack of interest in politics, distrust of politicians and political institutions, and the low turnout of young people in most democratic elections in the Third Republic. The young generation did not feel political support for the realisation of aspirations and needs, and were less enthusiastic about democracy than their parents' generation. They also felt an intergenerational dissonance in terms of values and lifestyles. The young are more oriented towards secular values and self-expression than their parents. Particularly evident is the increased importance of these values among young women, as evidenced by analyses conducted by the researchers quoted in the text (e.g.: M. Marody and J. Raciborski). The Constitutional Court's ruling of 22 October 2020, delegitimising and criminalising abortion, prompted hundreds of thousands of young Polish women to stage almost two months of protests. These protests gained the support of more than 50% of the population, yet the authorities ignored them, using the police to disperse them and the party media to harshly criticise the participants. Despite the lack of expected impact among the participants, they left behind a good memory of a supportive community, which young people have rediscovered in various democratic opposition actions, meetings with leaders, Campus Poland, opposition programmes and most recently in the Million Hearts March. The numerous pro-frequency campaigns were also not insignificant. A post of active hope was created and this led to the mass participation of young people in the last elections.