Last updated: March 31, 2026
Next Generations Study by Allianz Foundation
Young Europeans push for bold ecological reforms amid divisions on growth paradigm
Young Europeans urge policymakers to take bold steps towards ecological transformation and a rethinking of the prevailing paradigm of economic growth, but they are divided on how to achieve it. While most envision a green and socially just transformation, a significant minority leans toward preserving the status quo or embracing nostalgic vision of a supposedly better past. In extreme cases, such leanings can escalate into a full-on backlash against democratic rules and norms.
Still, the vast majority of young Europeans is firmly committed to democratic values. And many act on their beliefs: 47% have stood up for an issue at work or school, and 29% say ethical concerns shaped their choice of employer. Boycotting products with a bad environmental or social footprint is particularly common among young people on the political left, where around 50% have taken part (36% across the entire political spectrum).
Read the study here.
Further information
More news
About Allianz
The Allianz Group is one of the world’s leading insurers and asset managers, active in almost 70 countries and serving around 97 million private and corporate customers*. Our customers benefit from a broad range of personal and corporate insurance services, including property, life and health insurance, as well as assistance services, credit and global business insurance. Recognized for the seventh consecutive year as the number one global insurance brand in Interbrand’s Best Global Brands 2025 ranking, Allianz’s success is built on technology-enabled customer centricity – providing peace of mind, protection, and prevention for our customers and strengthening the resilience of individuals, communities, and societies. We are one of the world’s largest investors, managing around 770 billion euros on behalf of our insurance customers. Furthermore, our asset managers PIMCO and Allianz Global Investors manage about 2.0 trillion euros of third-party assets. Thanks to our systematic integration of environmental and social criteria in our business processes and investment decisions, Allianz received an MSCI ESG Rating of AAA (as of March 2026). In 2025, our 156,000 dedicated employees achieved a total business volume of 186.9 billion euros and an operating profit of 17.4 billion euros for our shareholders.
* As of December 31, 2025. Customer count reflects Allianz customers in consolidated entities that are part of the customer reporting scope only
Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements
As with all content published on this site, these statements are subject to our cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements: