What do upper- and upper-middle-class youth expect from the next government? How would they like politicians to speak to them? Is Ezeiza the only escape route they have in mind? These and other questions are what this article attempts to answer. Quantitative and qualitative report prepared by Reynaldo Rivera, Director of the Southern Marketing Research Center (CIMA) Universidad Austral), which reflects the attitudes, interests, opinions and expectations of the new generations.
To prepare the report, focus groups and semi-structured interviews were conducted between May 8 and 28, 2023, with young people aged 18 to 24 (centennials) from upper and upper-middle-class backgrounds residing in the province of Buenos Aires. Enrique Bianchi, professor at the National University of Córdoba and researcher at CONICET, also collaborated in the data analysis.
The study divided young people into four groups: 14,8% did not express a clear position, 3,2% supported left-wing policies, while 60% opted for right-wing policies and 22% identified as centrist. Those young people who leaned to the right support the notion of “out with them all” or “change everything,” in a context of high distrust of the government and politicians in general.
According to the report, young people believe that economic growth and state reform (reducing the fiscal deficit) should be the priorities of the next government. Educational quality is also highly relevant. They consider education (both public and private) to be the path to reducing poverty.
Consistent with the above, they expect the next government to be characterized by a sustainable growth project that prioritizes the economy. But the economic issue is not limited to monetary matters. In fact, the dollar is a secondary concern in the interviews, and the focus is on generating quality jobs that allow people to plan for the future and access key opportunities such as housing.
Young people yearn for concrete solutions and a government that defines a clear vision and promotes dialogue as a fundamental pillar.
In summary, the new generations primarily expect a substantial improvement in the situation across three dimensions: the economy, education, and stability. The latter includes concrete aspects such as employment, mental health, housing, and security.
New technologies and participation
The study also concludes that young people want to be at the forefront of public policy. They expect to be involved in a close and sincere dialogue with leaders.
Social media (especially TikTok and YouTube) are important channels for information, but people expect direct contact with those who make the decisions that affect their lives. In other words, they want to talk to people directly, without intermediaries, and they distrust institutions as opaque and distant entities.
Hopelessness
Although the economy dominates the scene, their concerns go beyond that, and the prevailing sentiment among young people is one of hopelessness. They no longer want to live in anguish over the country's future.
In this context, emigration does not appear to be the only chosen solution. The young people interviewed, even though they could, do not want to leave the country. They want to live in a stable and predictable Argentina.
Although many do want to improve their skills and grow professionally in other countries, they express the intention to return, even though they are aware of the sacrifices they will have to make to lift their country out of the critical situation it is in.
