Youth political participation has long been considered a crucial component of democratic
stability. Habits of civic and political engagement developed during adolescence often
persist into adulthood, shaping long-term patterns of participation. However, a large body
of research suggests that younger generations increasingly participate less in conventional
political activities than previous cohorts (Flanagan & Levine, 2010; Kitanova, 2020; Sloam &
Henn, 2019; Suni & Mietola, 2023; Weiss, 2020). Declining trust in political institutions and
limited engagement with traditional political organizations are frequently interpreted as
signs of a broader crisis of representative democracy (Bessant, 2004; Furlong & Cartmel,
2012; Foa & Mounk, 2016). At the same time, scholars have pointed out that young people
continue to engage with politics through alternative forms such as digital activism, issue-
based campaigns, or community initiatives (Guzman Grassi et al., 2024). While these
patterns are well documented quantitatively, much less attention has been devoted to how
young people themselves explain political disengagement.
This paper addresses that gap by exploring how final-year secondary school students
understand and interpret political disengagement among young people. Focusing on this
specific age group is particularly relevant because they stand on the threshold of gaining
formal political rights. The analysis is based on qualitative data collected through twelve
focus groups conducted in four major Croatian cities (Zagreb, Rijeka, Split, and Osijek). A
total of 90 students participated, representing three different educational tracks: grammar
schools, four-year vocational programmes, and three-year vocational programmes. Focus
groups were carried out in school settings and followed a semi-structured protocol
addressing political participation, political efficacy, youth engagement, and perceptions of
politics. The data were analysed using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006; Joffe, 2012)
combining deductive and inductive coding to identify recurring patterns in participants’
explanations of political disengagement.
The results reveal five key themes through which students interpret youth political non-
participation: socialization, cynicism and distrust, distance from politics, perceived negative
consequences of political engagement, and feelings of powerlessness. Participants
frequently attribute disengagement to socialization processes within families, schools, and
media environments that frame politics as conflictual and negative. Widespread cynicism
toward political actors and institutions, often associated with corruption and unfulfilled
promises, further contributes to distrust in the political system. Politics is also commonly
perceived as distant from young people’s everyday lives and interests, which reduces its
perceived relevance. In addition, students describe political engagement as socially risky,
potentially leading to stigma and interpersonal conflict. Finally, many participants express a
strong sense of political powerlessness, characterized by the belief that young people’s
voices are ignored and that political action rarely produces meaningful change.
Taken together, these findings suggest that youth disengagement should not be interpreted
primarily as apathy or lack of interest. Instead, students describe political disengagement as
a rational response to a political environment perceived as unresponsive, socially risky, and
poorly connected to their everyday experiences. The study contributes to existing research
by highlighting how young people themselves interpret the mechanisms that produce
political distancing, thereby offering new insights into the relationship between political
socialization, political efficacy, and youth engagement.
