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Why are young men and women in Southeast Europe drifting apart?
The Gender Gap Report of the FES Youth Study Southeast Europe shows: In politics, work, and in everyday life, the gap in values between genders is widening – with consequences for democracy and equality across the region.
“The growing gulf between young men and women” – this is how The Economist describes the widening divide between young women and men around the world. The Financial Times calls it a “new global gender divide”, one of the defining social phenomena of our time.
Southeast Europe provides an especially revealing context for observing these global developments. Different historical experiences, political systems and cultural legacies converge here, showing how global patterns manifest concretely in post-transitional societies.
In the series The Gender Gap Report, Semir Dzebo from the FES Office for the Future of Democracy in Vienna analyses data from the FES Youth Study Southeast Europe 2024 – a survey of almost 9,000 young people in twelve countries – to explore how differences between young men and women appear in political attitudes, social values and everyday orientations. The results illuminate not only a generational shift but also the challenges for democratic development in the region.
When young people are asked who makes better political leaders, a clear pattern emerges: around a quarter (24.6%) of young men believe men are “better political leaders” than women – among young women, only about one in ten (10.9%) share this view. This striking gender difference runs through all countries surveyed. Notably, the gap does not shrink with higher political interest or a left-leaning orientation – in fact, in many cases, it even grows. Political engagement and left-wing identification thus do not necessarily dispel traditional gender images and may even reinforce stereotypes. This suggests that assumptions about authority and gender are more deeply rooted than other political beliefs – and therefore pose a central obstacle to equal political participation.
When asked what they expect from a partner, young people in Southeast Europe show a consistent pattern: education tops the list for both genders, followed by economic stability. In almost all criteria, women are more selective than men – placing greater importance on income, education, family approval, religion, and national origin.
The only exception is virginity: here, men are much more selective than women. It is the only trait where men express more conservative expectations than women. The data also show that differences between urban and rural youth are minor – the main dividing line runs between genders.
These patterns reflect broader social realities: women place stronger emphasis on economic and educational factors, pointing to persistent inequalities in employment and income. Men, on the other hand, tend to resist shifting social and sexual norms.
Gender differences also emerge in attitudes toward work. While the majority support gender equality, a significant share of young men still believe that men should have priority in the job market during times of crisis – almost twice as many as women. With increasing work experience, this pattern solidifies: women develop more egalitarian attitudes, while men tend to revert to traditional views.
These findings make clear that equality is not a linear process. Education and political engagement alone do not guarantee a move away from traditional gender norms. In times of economic uncertainty and social polarization, old role models are often renegotiated – and can regain strength precisely where one least expects it.
Approval of the statement “Men make better political leaders” varies significantly by political orientation. While right-leaning youth predictably show higher approval rates, the analysis reveals a surprising fact: the gender gap is also especially pronounced among left-leaning youth. Among right-leaning respondents, 34.4% of men and 21.9% of women agree with the statement; among left-leaning respondents, the difference between the genders reaches 14.8 percentage points. Political orientation thus not only amplifies gender-specific differences but can paradoxically widen the gap between men and women in how political leadership is perceived.
Do men have a greater right to employment when jobs are scarce? Across Southeast Europe, a moderate overall effect conceals strong regional variation: although the average gender gap is 6.9%, regional extremes are striking. Montenegro and Slovenia show the largest gaps at over 11 percentage points, while in Albania men and women show similarly high levels of agreement. Turkey, by contrast, has the smallest gap but the highest overall approval for male job priority. Overall, the majority of young people – especially young women – firmly reject male job privileges when jobs are scarce: between 60% and 85% of young women disagree with such statements.
Combining employment status and household financial situation reveals the complexity of young people’s attitudes toward job priority for men. Among employed men from economically vulnerable households, 20% support the idea that men should have priority for jobs – the highest value across groups. Among unemployed men from similar households, the figure is 17%. Women’s responses are more stable across categories: young women from precarious households show 11–12% agreement. The data illustrate how economic pressure reinforces traditional gender norms in the workplace, particularly among young men, while women show comparatively stable opposition.
Looking at average importance ratings for partner criteria, a clear pattern emerges: women rate all characteristics – from economic stability and education to family approval – as more important than men. The only exception is virginity, which men value more highly. These differences reflect both material realities and cultural expectations: women follow a pragmatic strategy of selection, while men emphasize traditional sexual norms. Partner preferences thus mirror deep-rooted gendered differences rather than mere individual choices.
Upcoming parts of the series will explore gender differences in Southeast Europe in more depth. They will focus on attitudes toward LGBTQ+ acceptance, perceptions of women’s rights, the tension between traditional and progressive values, ideas about family, marriage and individual life goals, and the extent of young people’s political participation. The regional comparison thus offers a comprehensive look at how gender, social norms and political culture intersect – and what opportunities and obstacles for equality exist within this generation
You can find the full series with all details here.
