Authors: Elena Avramovska, Matteo Dressler This study examines whether a new political gender divide is emerging among Gen Z. Historically, Western democracies experienced a“gender realignment”, with women shifting from more conservative positions in the mid-20th century to more left-leaning political attitudes by the 1990s. Recent research raises the question of whether younger men and women are now further diverging in their political views and engagement. The existing evidence is mixed. While some studies point to growing gender differences in ideological left-right self-placement, attitudes toward gender equality and political preferences, these patterns vary across countries and variables analysed. Explanations suggested by the existing literature include the gendered effects of economic and social change leading to societal liberalisation, differences in education and labour market outcomes, and the influence of online environments and political narratives. Against this backdrop, this study assesses the extent and nature of Gen Z gender divides across Europe and five selected countries. Patterns in political attitudes and behaviour The quantitative analysis confirms previous research and shows that gender differences among young people are most clearly visible in ideological self-placement and attitudes toward gender equality, while differences in voting behaviour remain comparatively limited. Across Europe, the ideological gender gap has widened in recent years and is now most pronounced among those aged 15­29. This development is driven primarily by young women positioning themselves further to the left than older cohorts, whereas young men tend to hold similar positions to older men, with some country­specific exceptions where younger men appear somewhat more right-leaning. A similarly consistent pattern emerges in attitudes toward gender equality. Across Europe, young women express more progressive views than young men on issues such as workplace discrimination, equal pay and sexual harassment. This gap is again strongest among the youngest age group. However, cross-national variation remains important. Sweden stands out as the case with the most pronounced and consistent youth gender divide, while Germany shows little evidence of such a pattern. Greece, Poland and Spain display more mixed results. Crucially, the analysis suggests that these divides do not stem from a single dynamic: in some cases, they reflect increasing progressivism among young women, while in others they are driven by comparatively more conservative attitudes among young men. Perspectives and lived experiences of Gen Z Considering the limitations of survey data in capturing the complexity of gender gaps, we conducted focus group research with young people aged 18-29 in Germany, Greece, Spain, Sweden and Poland. The findings suggest that the emerging gender divide cannot be reduced to a simple conflict over gender politics or feminism. Rather, it reflects a broader generational experience shaped by economic insecurity, social change and declining trust in political institutions. Across all countries, young people, regardless of gender, describe growing up in a context defined by overlapping crises, including economic instability, housing shortages, geopolitical tensions, climate change and political polarisation. These experiences shape how they assess both their personal futures 80 EqualiZe