Nikos Poulantzas Institute
Friday, 27 February 2026
Athens Municipality Cultural Center
50 Akademias Street, Athens
Mapping Youth: Patterns, Representations and Limits of Youth Culture and Politicization
The Nikos Poulantzas Institute and The Left in the European Parliament invite you to a public discussion on young people in contemporary Greek society. The event aims to shed light on the perceptions, expectations and dead ends faced by a generation experiencing a multidimensional crisis.
Nikos Tzimas
Senior Researcher, Political and Social Research Department, Prorata
Katerina Iliou
Social Psychologist and Senior Researcher, National Centre for Social Research (EKKE)
Panagiotis Koustenis
Assistant Professor, University of Crete
Katerina Lamprinou
PhD in Political Science and History, Panteion University
Ilirinta Mousarai
PhD Candidate, Department of Sociology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Charalampos Poulopoulos
Professor of Social Work in Addictions, University of West Attica
Maria Repousi
Director, Nikos Poulantzas InstituteModerator
Kostas Arvanitis
Vice-President of The Left in the European Parliament
Head of the SYRIZA Delegation
The discussion will focus on the findings of a qualitative study conducted by Prorata in November 2025 on behalf of the Nikos Poulantzas Institute and The Left in the European Parliament.
The research examines the perceptions and expectations of young people aged 17–35 regarding Europe, the Left and political participation.
Young people today experience a prolonged “youth without rewards,” where the thresholds of adulthood remain closed. According to the research, they face five critical challenges on a daily basis:
Severe and continuously rising cost of living
Work that does not provide sufficient income for a decent life
Housing crisis
Lack of quality free time
Increasing sense of social isolation
17% work with temporary contracts or without a contract
92% believe wages are too low
65% receive financial support from their families
44% say they are little or not at all satisfied with their lives
Only 31% believe the future will be positive
Young people are forced to mature and become more cynical than their parents were at the same age. At the same time, however, they cannot truly enter adulthood: they lack stable employment, cannot afford independent housing, and struggle to believe in a better future.
Despite pessimism about Greece, 61% say they prefer to remain in the country.
Young people’s perception of Europe has changed dramatically. Europe is no longer viewed as a dream but rather as a last resort. Many express concerns about:
Racism and anti-immigration policies
The threat of war
Social alienation and loss of identity
For young people with left-wing political beliefs, politics concerns all aspects of society and everyday life.
For those leaning towards the right, politics is mainly associated with the state, political parties and institutions.
The research portrays a generation in crisis — not only economically, but also socially and existentially.
Young people increasingly feel that they are “neither children nor adults.” The present appears uncertain, the future unclear, and many dreams are postponed or abandoned.
The discussion will explore the representations, patterns and limits of youth culture and politicization, examining how the political consciousness of the younger generation is shaped under conditions of systemic crisis and insecurity.
The event will focus on five main themes that emerged from the research:
Rights – The struggle for basic labour and social rights
Time – Lack of personal time and the feeling of a “stolen life”
Work – Precarious employment, low wages and lack of prospects
Cost of Living – Continuous economic pressure and inability to plan ahead
Housing – The increasingly unattainable dream of independence and autonomy
The Left in the European Parliament
Nikos Poulantzas Institute
For more information:
📧 info@poulantzas.gr
📞 +30 210 3217 745
Stournari 57, 10432 Athens
Phone: (+30) 210 3217745
E-mail: info@poulantzas.gr