Cyprus has ranked last among European Union member states for youth participation in social action, with only 26% of young people saying they took part in at least one initiative aimed at promoting social change during the past 12 months.
The findings come from the latest Eurobarometer survey on youth and democracy, which examined the views and participation of Europeans aged 15 to 30.
According to the survey, an average of 55% of young people across the EU participated in at least one social change initiative over the past year, up from 48% in 2024.
These activities included:
- Signing petitions or campaigns
- Taking part in demonstrations and protests
- Contacting politicians or public officials
Luxembourg tops the ranking
At the other end of the scale, Luxembourg recorded the highest level of participation, with 73% of young people reporting involvement in social action initiatives.
It was followed by:
- Malta – 70%
- Belgium – 64%
Cyprus, by contrast, recorded the lowest rate among all 27 EU countries.
Human rights lead youth activism
The most common area of engagement among young Europeans was human rights, cited by 36% of respondents.
Human rights ranked as the leading cause in 23 of the EU's 27 member states.
Other major areas of youth engagement included:
- Equal rights and equality issues – 33%
- Health and wellbeing – 30%
More young Europeans joining organisations
The survey also found growing participation in organised activities across Europe.
A total of 75% of young Europeans said they had taken part in activities organised by one or more organisations over the past year, compared with 64% in 2024.
The most common organisations were:
- Sports clubs – 26%
- Youth clubs and youth organisations – 20%
Wide gap between Cyprus and the EU average
The findings highlight the significant gap between Cyprus and the rest of Europe when it comes to active participation in social and civic initiatives.
While youth engagement and mobilisation appear to be increasing across the EU, only around one in four young people in Cyprus reported taking part in activities aimed at driving social change.
