THE LIMITS OF TOLERANCE, INCLUSIVITY AND PLURALISM AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE - 2025
During a period marked by simultaneous political and economic crises in Turkey, it is important to understand the younger generation’s perspective on the political system, democracy, the state, and fundamental values, both in terms of youth policies and the country’s future.
This comprehensive research was conducted with the contributions of the Centre for Applied Turkey Studies (CATS) and is based on fieldwork findings from young people aged 18–30. The report addresses topics such as young people’s relationship with politics, their approach to democracy, their perception of the European Union and the West, and their attitude toward pluralism.
The study is based on the observation that, over the past decade, developments such as the rise of nationalism and isolationism, increased opposition to immigration, and the spread of security-oriented discourse have transformed the younger generation’s perception of democracy and their relationship with pluralism. In this context, the study examines Turkey’s position within an objective framework in terms of its domestic politics and relations with the West/EU. It takes into account trends such as young people’s disengagement from politics and rising feelings of insecurity and powerlessness.
Youth's Vote: Why are Young People Uncomfortable?
The 2023 General Elections showed that young people are not merely extras in the political arena, yet they also fail to find a stage that suits them. All structures of society, the political world, civil society, the business world, everyone is looking for ways to reach young people and to work efficiently with them, asking the question: How can we attract young people / how can we reach young people?
The assumption behind this question is that there’s a lack of interest and awareness among young people, suggesting that this gap can be bridged with alternative communication and calls for responsibility. However, young people are aware of and deliberately avoid structures they do not want to be part of, or cannot be part of. In other words, reaching them is not a matter of medium.
Firstly, there’s a problem with the places they are invited to; secondly, those inviting young people are calling for participation not to enable them to realize themselves but to incorporate them into what already exists.
To empower young people socially, psychologically, and economically, to increase their participation in decisions, politics, and the social sphere, and to reduce intergenerational distance by eliminating prejudices, it’s necessary to deeply understand young people and find ways to ensure their voices are heard.
CORE aimed with this research to voice what young people expect from politics during the local election period, their perceptions of local governance, their emotional states, and what they hope for from the municipalities to be elected.
