Survey: Half of Romania’s young adults believe the pandemic will affect their plans for the future

Half of the young people in the “18-29 years generation” (about 1.3 million people) believe the coronavirus pandemic will affect their plans for the future, according to a survey of the Romanian Institute for Public Opinion Polling (IRSOP).

“Almost two-thirds (60%) are convinced that the pandemic will leave deep scars, and life will not be the same. Social psychologists say that the major events that young people go through when they grow up, approximately between 18 and 24 years old, define their values and attitudes for the rest of their lives. If they feel abandoned, they will be distrustful of people and institutions all their lives,” reads the survey quoted by Ziare.com.

Only 55% are optimistic about their chances in the future, while the rest have mixed feelings. In other words, they are insecure, the same survey says.

For now, health (46%) and jobs (32%), including vocational training, are the Romanian young adults’ biggest anxieties. However, over time, the fear of getting sick will disappear, while concerns about jobs and careers will come first, IRSOP said.

The same survey revealed that most young adults (65%) have very little confidence in the politicians, while 70% believe that, in 10 years, life in Romania will be the same or worse. At this time, most young Romanian see corruption (30%), health (27%), and poverty eradication (19%) as the primary national emergencies.

The same poll also revealed that most young adults in Romania believe in the EU project: more than 80% (over 2 million) want their own children to live in an EU member Romania.

A total of 712 young Romanians aged between 18 and 29 participated in the survey on June 22-30, 2020. The sample is representative for the entire young population (18-29 years) of 2.6 million in Romania.

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