Taloustutkimus Oy surveyed, on commission from JEF Finland, Finnish young people’s attitudes towards the European Union and Europeanness in general. Over a thousand young people from around Finland were interviewed for the survey. The results show that Finnish young people have a very positive attitude towards Finland’s EU membership and consider themselves citizens of the European Union. No similar survey had previously been conducted in Finland.
The survey results show that Finnish young people have a clearly more positive attitude towards the European Union than, for example, their parents do — 81% of young people consider Finland’s EU membership a good thing. “Young people see Finland’s EU membership as self-evident and valuable. It should be clear by now that the era of irresponsible ‘Fixit’ bluster is over!” states JEF Finland’s President Tuomas Tikkanen.
The survey shows that 89% of Finnish young people identify themselves as citizens of the European Union. Although young people primarily see themselves as citizens of Finland, their European identity is stronger than their identity with their own local area. The survey therefore shows that European identity is a firmly established part of Finnish young people’s everyday lives.
JEF Finland’s President Tikkanen warmly welcomes all young people interested in the EU and Europe to get involved in JEF Finland’s activities. “We have been developing our activities purposefully over the past couple of years. I am convinced that within a few years, close to 100% of Finnish young people will consider themselves citizens of the European Union. That is what we at JEF Finland are working hard for,” Tikkanen concludes.
You can explore the survey results here.
Further information,
Tuomas Tikkanen
President
+358 40 523 5768
[email protected]
Mikko Kymäläinen
Secretary General
+359 911 2049
[email protected]