The far-right gained ground in important EU elections by attracting young voters in countries like Germany, France, Poland, and Spain.

Young voters, who are often considered more left-leaning, significantly supported environmental parties in the 2019 EU election. They were called "Generation Greta" in recognition of Greta Thunberg's environmental activism.

In response to the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and the rising cost of living, many people this year switched their support to far-right populist parties, which took advantage of these concerns and made gains in the EU parliament poll held from June 6–9.

Europe's anti-establishment, ethno-nationalist leaders are gaining popularity among young people as a rebellious counterculture due to their skillful use of social media. These movements are frequently upstarts.

Analysts claim that young men who feel excluded and suppressed by the increasingly "woke" mainstream are their target audience.

A recent Infratest dimap exit poll shows that the AfD gained the support of 16% of young people under 25. The AfD is known for opposing immigration and raising concerns about the Islamization of Germany. This marks an increase of 11 percentage points compared to previous data. This increase was more than twice as large as the 5-point increase observed in the general population.

The AfD's historic second place nationally was unexpected, as it went against the expectation that left-leaning parties would benefit from Germany's decision to allow 16- to 18-year-olds to vote for the first time.

Although the far-right did not attract many young voters, this trend is worrying mainstream parties as they approach upcoming elections in France and Germany.