emerge, pointing to shared generational experiences across Europe. 3.2.1 Prioritised challenges Participants across genders discuss a broad range of societal challenges, including economic insecurity, housing affordability, political dysfunction, social inequality, gendered disadvantage, social cohesion and polarisation, climate change, and foreign and security policy. These topics were raised spontaneously by participants, without being prompted by the moderators. Although all topics were mentioned, young adults consistently prioritise those with direct implications for personal independence, life planning and long-term stability. Social policy concerns dominated, but climate and security policy were also seen as increasingly relevant to future trajectories, with climate change in particular being highlighted in the German and Swedish discussions. 3.2.1.1 Economic insecurity and housing Economic insecurity emerges as the most immediate and universally shared concern. Across countries, precarious employment, low wages, and rising living costs are associated with delayed autonomy and constrained life choices. It is important to remember that interviews were conducted in capital cities that are particularly affected by housing shortages and high living costs, which explains the salience of these issues. Simon(male, 20, Stockholm, mixed group) explicitly links employment precarity to housing exclusion. His statement captures a circular logic of exclusion: without stable employment, access to housing is blocked; without housing security, long-term planning remains fragile: “You need to find a job and it may be impossible to buy an apartment, because you don’t get a job. This is something I worry a lot about when it comes to the future”. Eleni(female, 23, Athens, mixed group) also highlights the personal consequences of insufficient income: “Even for us – and I live with my parents –€700 [of minimum wage] might not even be enough for me. Even if I don’t pay rent because I’m living at my parents’ house – if I try to go on a trip, it will only be for a weekend, and even that will be within Greece.” Even though the statutory minimum wage in Greece reached€880 in 2025, her reference to€700 illustrates how perceived disposable income remains limited once everyday costs are considered. Economic pressure thus restricts not only independence but also mobility, leisure and long-term savings, narrowing perceived opportunity structures. 3.2.1.2 Social inequality and gendered disadvantage Social inequality, and particularly gendered disadvantage, is a central concern, especially among female participants, who raise these topics more often during the discussion without being prompted by the moderator. Sophie(female, 22, Berlin, all­female group) articulates perceived structural imbalance:“A woman can of course get the same job as a man, but she has to work twice as hard and gets paid half as much or something like that”. Lucía(female, 20, Madrid, all-female group), studying aircraft mechanics, provides a stark illustration of embodied inequality beyond salaries and the likelihood of finding a job: “Mechanics has always been a men’s[sic] job: in my base we are 568 people and only 8 of us are women. Since day one I’ve been‘the one with the big tits in the hangar’. It’s constant harassment. Either they overprotect you or treat you badly. And I’m there because I like it and I’m good at it.” Her account shows how underrepresentation translates into everyday experiences of sexualisation, exclusion and defensive self-positioning. While male 54 EqualiZe