The consultation phase of the 11th cycle of the European Youth Dialogue ended in June 2025, under the Polish Presidency. Coordinated by the National Working Groups (NWGs) in each EU country, this major consultation brought together 38,042 young people, including a significant proportion in France—nearly 38% of the weighted contributions. The objective: to gather the voices of young people around the theme “Connecting the EU with young people,” to strengthen the sense of belonging, democratic trust, and participation.
But one observation persists: less than one in four young people come from a rural background, confirming a structural underrepresentation young people from the territories.
The discussions focused on six main themes:
- le sense of belonging to the EU,
- le sharing common values,
- la democratic trust,
- some policies more suited to young people,
- the place ofErasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps in citizenship,
- and the update of the European Youth Goals.
The results are clear:
- Only 45% of young people say they trust European institutions.
- More than 60% feel attached to Europe, but this attachment falls in the least advantaged circles.
- The major concerns remain housing, the cost of living, employment and the climate - concrete issues that condition their relationship with the European Union.
For young people in rural areas, the report's findings are a wake-up call. Participation policies often remain concentrated in large cities, leaving young people living in rural areas at a distance and far from European spaces for dialogue. The consultations highlight the need to create appropriate formats: local meetings, traveling citizens' cafés, local mobility programs, and even public speaking training for those who lack access to major community networks.
Rural youth do not lack opinions, but rather channels to express them. This is the challenge of the next cycle: to make the European Dialogue a tool for territorial cohesion, as much as democratic.
The recommendations made by young people converge:
- more transparency and feedback on citizen contributions;
- policies co-constructed with young people at all stages, and not just in one-off consultations;
- strengthening of European civic education, formal and non-formal;
- and better recognition of the diversity of young people, including rural, minority and precarious youth.
Data from European Youth Forum confirm that young Europeans want a Europe that is clearer, fairer, and closer to the grassroots. For young rural people, this vision requires a clear imperative: to be seen, heard, and included in the decisions that shape the future of their territories. Because European democracy is not only played out in Brussels — it is also built in villages, agricultural high schools, MFRs, and in every place where a young person dares to speak out.
Source: Consultation Report 2025 – European Youth Forum
Image by Daniil Kondrashin from Pixabay
