More young people than ever before are doubting the power of democracy

Young people are far less likely than older people to believe in the power of democracy, a survey has found.

According to an international survey of 30 countries by Open Society Foundations (OSF), 86 per cent of respondents would prefer to live in a democratic state and only 20 per cent believe authoritarian regimes are more capable of delivering “what citizens want”.

However, only 57 per cent of respondents aged 18 to 35 felt democracy was preferable to any other form of government, against 71 per cent of those over 56, and 42 per cent of younger people said they were supportive of military rule, compared to 20 per cent of older respondents.

It also found that more than a third (35 per cent) of young people felt a “strong leader” who did not hold elections or consult parliament was “a good way to run a country”.

“Our findings are both sobering and alarming,” said Mark Malloch Brown, OSF’s president and a former UN deputy secretary general. “People around the world still want to believe in democracy, but generation by generation that faith is fading as doubts grow about its ability to deliver concrete changes to their lives.”

“Confidence in the foundational elements of democracy coexists with profound doubts about its real-world practice and impact,” Malloch Brown said.

How concerning.

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