The young generation, aged 18-39, tend to sympathise with conservative political ideas that can be exploited by extremists. At the same time, the support for liberal ideas appears much weaker, according to the results of a survey carried out by the Institute for Public Affairs (IVO) and released on Monday. For example, 66 percent of young respondents are ready to protect or defend national sovereignty, 57 percent wish to protect Christianity from Islam and 54 percent declare themselves as patriots. The idea of solidarity between Slavs is supported by 48 percent of those surveyed.
Meanwhile only 30 to 40 percent of young Slovaks are in favour of liberal democracy, the deepening of European integration, multiculturalism, and cultural diversity. Study author Marián Velšic finds it particularly worrying that the "protection of the white race" is an opinion close to the heart of 45 percent of young people. "Moreover, many of the values that are typical of the conservative parties have been successfully 'privatised' by extremist political forces. Calling for national sovereignty and limiting the impact of the EU, patriotism, pan-Slavism, the protection of Christianity - are in the political agenda of the far-right party Our Slovakia," he said.
The survey has also showed a low level of tolerance to "those who are different". As many as 80 percent of respondents do not want a Romany family in their neighbourhood and 71 percent of them would not want a Muslim neighbour. More than half of young Slovaks (54 percent) do not want immigrants from countries less economically developed than Slovakia. Approximately 40 percent have a negative view of sexual minorities and people of Asian or African background. "The lower the education level, the lower the sensitivity threshold for extremism. The underestimation of the impact of extremism on society is also more typical for unskilled and auxiliary workers, skilled manual workers, entrepreneurs and tradesmen," concluded Velšic.
