European Youth Embrace Vision for ‘United States of Europe,’ Moving Beyond Far-Right Politics

European Youth Embrace Vision of ‘United States of Europe’ Despite Far-Right Rise

A surprising trend is emerging on social media platforms across Europe, where young people are increasingly expressing support for deeper European integration—even advocating for a “United States of Europe”—at a time when many predicted far-right nationalism would dominate the continent’s political landscape.

Analysis of social media content shows that Generation Z and younger millennials are sharing pro-European unity memes, videos, and messages that promote a vision of continental solidarity that surpasses even the most ambitious goals of the EU’s founding fathers.

“What we’re seeing is a genuine grassroots movement among young Europeans who have grown up with the benefits of free movement, Erasmus programs, and a borderless continent,” explains Dr. Elena Kowalski, professor of European Politics at the University of Amsterdam. “Their digital activism represents a powerful counternarrative to the rise of nationalist parties.”

The phenomenon appears to be part of a generational reaction to Brexit, the COVID pandemic, and the war in Ukraine—events that have highlighted both Europe’s fragility and its strength when united. Young people, who came of age during these crises, have developed a more pronounced European identity than their parents or grandparents.

On TikTok, Instagram, and other platforms, viral content advocating for closer European integration regularly generates millions of views. Popular memes include reimagined European flags, maps showing a unified European federation, and videos explaining how a more integrated continent could address challenges from climate change to economic inequality.

“The idea of a ‘United States of Europe’ isn’t new—Winston Churchill mentioned it in 1946—but what’s different now is how organically it’s spreading among young people,” says Marco Bentivogli, researcher at the European Council on Foreign Relations. “It’s not being pushed by politicians or EU institutions. If anything, the EU is playing catch-up to this sentiment.”

Survey data supports this digital trend. A recent Eurobarometer poll found that 67% of Europeans aged 18-24 identify as “European citizens first, national citizens second”—a significant increase from just five years ago when the figure stood at 51%.

The movement appears strongest in countries that have experienced democratic backsliding or economic hardship. Young people in Poland, Hungary, and parts of southern Europe are among the most vocal advocates for deeper integration, seeing it as protection against corruption and mismanagement at the national level.

This shift comes at a pivotal moment for the European project. As the EU grapples with enlargement questions regarding Ukraine and Western Balkan countries, young Europeans are pushing for a more federal structure that could accommodate new members while deepening integration.

Political parties across the spectrum are taking notice. The European Parliament elections saw several pro-European candidates successfully campaign on platforms that embraced deeper integration—specifically targeting young voters through the same digital channels where pro-European sentiment has flourished.

“Traditional parties underestimated how much this generation values European unity,” notes Sophia Kremser, campaign director for the European Movement International. “They grew up with Europe as a given, and the threats to it have mobilized them in ways we haven’t seen before.”

Critics and skeptics point out that social media activism doesn’t always translate into electoral outcomes or policy changes. They argue that the gap between online enthusiasm and real-world politics remains substantial, especially when issues like sovereignty and national identity remain sensitive for large portions of the electorate.

Nevertheless, the phenomenon represents a significant challenge to the narrative that Europe is inexorably drifting toward nationalism and fragmentation. As digital natives become an increasingly influential voting bloc, their vision of Europe could reshape the continent’s political landscape in the coming decade.

“What’s most striking is how these young people aren’t just defending the Europe that exists—they’re imagining a more ambitious, more integrated Europe than anything on offer from mainstream political leaders,” concludes Bentivogli. “They’re not afraid of advocating for a genuine European federation, and that represents a profound shift in the continent’s political imagination.”