Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is facing a significant challenge in connecting with young voters, according to recent opinion polls. Since taking office in 2022, Meloni’s government has done little to increase economic opportunities for young people, while implementing law-and-order measures that disproportionately affect them.

Youth Disaffection

The result is a growing disaffection among 18- to 34-year-olds, who may play a crucial role in the 2027 election. According to Lorenzo Pregliasco, head of the Youtrend polling agency, younger voters are clearly leaning towards the centre-left opposition. Meloni’s coalition currently commands less than 30% of voting support among under-35s, compared to almost 50% for the opposition bloc.

Young Italians also exhibit a significant gender gap, with men tend to vote more for the right and women favouring the left. A study by Milan’s Bocconi University found that support for Meloni’s party is particularly low among young women, with just 4.2% of women under 30 backing the party.

Lack of Economic Reforms

Lorenzo De Sio, a political science professor at Rome’s Luiss University, attributes the youth’s hostility towards the government to its inertia on economic policy. ‘Meloni has made no significant economic reforms,’ he said. ‘That is fine if you benefit from the status quo, but very bad for those least protected by it, which often means young people.’

Italy’s employment rate among 15- to 24-year-olds is the lowest in the 21-nation euro zone, and the country invests less in education than almost all its partners in the bloc. A young graduate in Germany earns on average 80% more than an Italian peer, according to the Bank of Italy.

Law-and-Order Crackdowns

The government’s security measures have affected various groups, including prisoners, migrants, and young people. The government has cracked down on rave parties, production of ‘light’ cannabis, and juvenile crime. A nationwide student protest last year saw thousands march against the security decrees, education spending cuts, and Meloni’s support for Israel in Gaza.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.