Young men close to the radical right are the most satisfied with their lives, according to the Montaigne Institute – precariousness and psychological distress dominate among those attracted to the radical left
Those most attracted to the radical left tend to be graduates of literary and humanities and social sciences programs, young people from immigrant backgrounds, those in situations of social insecurity and psychological distress. Those whose parents were both born abroad are four times more likely than young people whose parents were both born in France to feel close to the radical left, according to the authors.
Radical right-wing supporters tend to have short vocational training courses, work as manual workers and employees, are satisfied with their jobs – especially men – and "they display a general sense of well-being." "In other words, the RN [National Rally] attracts more well-integrated young people than LFI [La France Insoumise] , which goes against many studies on the party's electorate," the survey reveals.
Nearly one in two young people (49%) do not identify with any party , while those who express a preference lean massively towards the extremes : 33% towards the radical right, 25% towards the radical left.
The political engagement of young people is reflected in the level and type of studies: higher education graduates are more politicized than those with short courses. Students in the arts and humanities identify more with the radical left , and those in health or technical courses with the radical right. Beyond the diploma, young people close to the radical left often face psychological fragility or financial insecurity. The radical right , on the other hand, attracts young people who are generally more socially integrated , rather satisfied with their lives, but often have few qualifications and occupy manual or employee positions.
Discomfort at work does not appear to be a determining factor in political radicalization among young people . The only exception is young men who are satisfied with their jobs, who are more inclined to support the radical right. Thus, political preferences appear to be more linked to identity, educational, or social factors .
Fdesouche
