Youth Study Albania Albanian young people – hostage to a never-ending transition 2024

Edited by Alba Çela, Geron Kamberi and Klodian Gega About FES Youth Studies What are young people afraid of or ­hopeful about? In a rapidly changing world that is ­challenged by the climate crisis and inequal­ ities, and in many parts aging societies and ­ democratic decline, FES Youth Studies inves­ tigate how young generations perceive the ­development of their societies and their per­ sonal future. Our aim is to foster informed ­debate about young people’s views on politics and democracy against the background of their life circumstances and values. This in­cludes key issues such as education, employment and mobility, family and friends, and their overall attitudes and perceptions. We focus on young people aged 14 to 29 to understand their p­ erspectives on these critical topics. FES has conducted numerous youth studies around the world since 2009. In 2024, young people in Albania were surveyed along with youth in other Southeastern Europe and Central Eastern Europe countries.

Executive Summary 4 Key Facts 6 1. Introduction 8 2. Methodology 9 3. Basic demographic characteristics and trends 10 4. Young people and education 11 5. Employment 14 6. Mobility 17 7. Family and plans for the future 20 8. General values, attitudes and perceptions 23 9. Political attitudes and participation 30 Conclusion 42 References 44 Endnotes 47 Figures 48 About the Authors 49

Youth Study Albania Executive Summary The Albania Youth Survey 2024 reflects the con­ tinuous efforts of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) to follow personal values of young people in Albania and different aspects of how they per­ ceive themselves and Albanian society. Albania has gone through a long and difficult transition since the fall of communism in the 1990s. There has not only been a political and economic tran­ sition but also a transition towards new social and moral values. All the Albanian young peo­ ple interviewed here were born after the 1990s and thus none of them experienced the commu­ nist regime, except through the stories of their parents. As a result, their individual, social, pro­ fessional, political and civic identities have been created during this long period of transition, and thus in many ways reflect its fluctuations and dis­ appointments. The apathy they sometimes ex­ hibit may be the result of their knowledge of how things are in the rest of Europe and other developed regions and states. It should be not­ ed that Albanian society has been highly unequal throughout the harsh transitional period of cha­ otic capitalism, without clear rules and market competition. The social norms and values charac­ teristic of this period have influenced young peo­ ple’s attitudes, opinions and perceptions. It might be said that young people’s social status seems to be determined mainly by their financial circum­ stances rather than their work or contributions to the common good. A variety of factors are be­ lieved to be at the root of the phenomena we are concerned with in this report. They influence the formation of youth values with regard to family, relationships and gender equality. The data also reveal that young people are exposed to violence and criminality, which often affect the quality of their lives significantly, not to mention their trust in institutions, especial­ ly the justice system. Nevertheless, they believe in their potential as an instrument of change within society, although hitherto it has remained at the level of self-awareness and has yet to be realised. Albanian youth engagement and opinions as reflected in the Albania Youth Survey 2024 are driven by a variety of variables, including gen­ der, social class and place of residence. Increasing knowledge of differences in their expectations, values and opportunities will help policymakers and other stakeholders to address them properly. Education is clearly one of the most important is­ sues affecting Albanian young people. Under the conditions of a global market economy, in which having multiple skills is crucial and a flexible la­ bour market is all pervasive, education is increas­ ingly becoming a very valuable asset. This is es­ pecially relevant at present as young people are facing the challenges of the so-called“Fourth In­ dustrial Revolution” or“Economy 4.0”, driven by the innovations of information technology and the unpredictable impact of so-called“artificial in­ telligence” in many professions. Most young Alba­ nians still see education abroad as their best op­ tion. Urgent action is therefore needed to boost quality education in Albania. Young Albanians are still possessed by a“migration rush”, consider­ ing it the only option when it comes to entering the global labour market. Emigration is seen as an opportunity for young people. However, through appropriate financing schemes, the labour market in Albania can be revitalised. Among other things, remote working is increasing the possibility for flexible employment. Such a policy approach re­ quires continuous upgrading of skills and qualifi­ cations, however, to respond to the needs of the domestic and global labour market. 4 Executive Summary

Youth Study Albania It should be noted that young people’s inter­ est and participation in politics is a key driver of change. This includes their engagement in politi­ cal parties as the main actors of a democratic sys­ tem, regular participation in voting, and involve­ ment in political accountability through forms of public pressure for good governance. All these are considered prerequisites for the health of a stable democracy and young people are the main beneficiaries in the long term. Through active participation and inclusion, young people may have a special role to play within society. As the history of political developments in Europe and the world has shown, especially in the second half of the twentieth century and the first decades of the twenty-first century, young people have been able to launch powerful movements. These have made it possible to change political systems and improve the model of accountability and political responsibility, even in consolidated democracies. The period of economic globalisation and rapid development in information technology since the 2000s has overturned political and geographical borders, which has made even Albanian young people less interested in the development of do­ mestic politics. Such political indifference or apa­ thy is related to the fact that they now have many opportunities to seek their social and economic fortunes in other countries. In this way, engage­ ment and political activism to change the reali­ ties in the country they live in are no longer seen as primary opportunities or actions. On the other hand, increasing access to studying abroad, the liberalisation of the global labour market, as well as free movement at low cost have transformed the world into a large global village. Such varia­ bles have encouraged even Albanian young peo­ ple to see continuous mobility from their country as a space of freedom and to leave political en­ gagement to politicians. However, beyond such attitudes, which are often impacted by the external environment, the politi­ cal indifference or apathy of Albanian young peo­ ple is also related to the disappointment and lack of trust in politics and political parties as able to change the reality within the country and meet their expectations. However, hope remains for the EU as a station at which they want to arrive, regardless of how long the journey takes. The data of the study show that young Albanians be­ lieve in Albania’s prospective membership of the EU and use it as a tool of comparison regarding the quality of standards of democracy, rule of law and social justice in Albania. Such an approach in­ creases the chances of accelerating the EU inte­ gration process, can push young people to take on a greater role as agents of change in society, and especially to make the political system more accountable and responsible. 5 Executive Summary

Key Facts Youth Study Albania Young people are ambivalent about the quality of their education and concerned about the level of corruption. The majority of young people feel that the quality of the education on offer in Albania is either average or subpar. Two out of three Albanian young people strongly believe that one can get the desired grade or pass the exam through money and bribes. 57 % of young people see the main concern as the number of skilled people who are leaving the country, while 56.3 per cent consider immigration as a major issue. In order to be employed as a young person in Albania you often need to have • the right political connections; • accept a job that is below your level of education;• work in a field unconnected to your degree. A nation on the run • More than one-third of those surveyed harbour a strong desire to leave the country.• More than one-fifth of those that wish to leave imagine doing so for good.• The key push factor for migration is the desire to attain better living standards and higher salaries. 6 Key Facts

Youth Study Albania A positive parent-child relationship is a stable marker of family relationships in Albania. Family remains an important support for Albanian young people, not just for economic reasons but also for h ealthy and positive relations; hence, family plays an important role in their decisions. 65 % of these young people affirmed that economic security and democracy are key, closely interlinked values. 64 % of young people said that in the coming decades corruption will be a major concern. The top two values for most young respondents are healthy eating and independence. Eating healthily is a constant attitude that can be discerned in Albanian culture. Additionally, most young people would like to be independent. This can also be noted in their growing tendency to live on their own. It is also noteworthy that a slightly higher proportion of females than males consider independence to be important. Young people are against bribery, cheating on taxes and using connections to get things done. More than half of the respondents expressed antipathy towards the idea of accepting or paying a bribe. Additionally, a considerable number of young respondents think that cheating on taxes or using connections to get things done are not decent behaviour. 7 54 % of the young Albanians interviewed said that they are not interested in politics. Key Facts

1. Youth Study Albania Introduction Since the fall of communism, Albania has under­ gone numerous complex transformations that are hard to explain in terms of a single theoreti­ cal model. As a result of such a multifaceted pro­ cess, in which democratisation and transition oc­ cur in combination with state-building efforts, as well as legal and institutional initiatives to join the European Union, Albania is extremely hard to read(Jano, 2008). Albania has undertaken substantial education­ al reforms. Despite these positive developments, however, it is currently facing serious challenges. The enrolment of young people at different lev­ els of the education system in the past five years is noticeably declining, and the number of those leaving the country to continue their studies abroad and who remain there is increasing every year(Sherifaj, 2023). Albania’s economic, political and social dynamics have exposed young people to a challenging en­ vironment that shapes their perceptions of their role in society. Many individuals often struggle to meet their basic needs, while a few are able to indulge in conspicuous consumption. Accord­ ing to the National Institute of Statistics(IN­ STAT), the decline in the birth rate has reached a record low over the past three decades or so in Albania(2024). The reasons for this are yet to be discovered. Social status seems to be determined mainly on the basis of financial circumstances and not on real work or engagement in community life. This can only discourage young people from commit­ ting themselves wholeheartedly to anything. Or­ ganised crime and corruption have been around for so long that there is little trust in the justice system. Even though the justice system is under­ going drastic reforms there is no sound evidence that youth perceptions have changed. Further­ more, youth participation in the social and polit­ ical life of the country remains at a very low level (Kamberi and Cela, 2019). Physical and psychological violence continues to be a serious social concern. Even though var­ ious factors such as low economic level, a patri­ archal mentality(Haarr and Dhamo, 2009) and unhealthy family relationships(INSTAT, 2019) are believed to be at the root of this phenomenon, its impact on the development of the young gener­ ation’s values with regard to family, relationships and gender equality is not known. Nevertheless, despite numerous obstacles, the new generation has a natural drive to bring about positive changes in society(Keating and Melis, 2022). The regular examination of youth perceptions of personal values and different as­ pects of their lives constitutes a positive initiative. Exploring the diversity of youth behaviours and opinions due to social factors such as gender, so­ cial class or place of residence would also increase our knowledge of social inequalities and help to address them properly. The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung(FES) has been un­ dertaking research studies on youth issues in Southeast Europe and Albania since 2011. The Al­ bania Youth Survey 2024 is the fourth national survey conducted by FES. The study covers a wide range of youth attitudes and experiences in dif­ ferent realms of life. Among these are education, employment and mobility, political and social participation, family relationships and so-called “artificial intelligence”. This study allows for lon­ gitudinal comparison with findings from earlier FES surveys conducted in Albania and other Bal­ kan countries. The authors go beyond data inter­ pretation and draw solid conclusions that imply concrete actions for both policymakers and civ­ ic society. 8 1. Introduction

2. Methodology Ipsos conducted a representative survey of 680 young people aged 14 to 29 in Albania from 9 February to 25 March 2024. Interviews were con­ ducted with CAWI(computer-assisted web inter­ viewing) and CAPI(computer-assisted personal interviewing) via the Ipsos Online Access Panel. It should be noted that the use of online access pan­ els for CAWI is an accepted research methodolo­ gy used by public and private research organisa­ tions with solid results. Due to the low coverage of online panels, a mixed-mode approach was cho­ sen in Albania(35 % CAWI, 65 % CAPI), where the distribution of offline and online interviews was based on local recommendations and past studies among a similar target group. The survey aimed to gain insights into how Albanian adolescents and young adults perceive politics, democracy, social values and their role as agents of change. Specifi­ cally, this survey aimed to determine the contribu­ tion of young people to democratic development. It was based on previous FES youth surveys, which were conducted in the southeast Europe region in 2018/2019, in Russia in 2019/2020, in Central Eu­ rope and the Baltics in 2021, and in the south Cau­ casus region in 2022. Through CAWI, the survey was implemented on­ line, with administration being done via a web browser or mobile application. For the CAWI mode, the target audience was limited to people who had registered in an online access panel, were residents of Albania and had access to online ser­ vices on a digital device at the time of the survey. Youth Study Albania Access to respondents in CAWI mode took place through established online access panels. Mean­ while for CAPI, households were selected using a defined starting point(buildings of public im­ portance) and equal steps of HH choice(urban and rural). Respondents within the households involved were selected according to quotas and if there were respondents 14–17 years of age(as required for the ten teenager modules), consent for participation was obtained from parents or le­ gal guardians. The CAWI sample was drawn from the Ipsos Online Access Panels by quota selection according to age, gender and region. This central socio-demographic information had been pre-de­ fined so that IPSP could directly target respond­ ents via invitation email to achieve a representa­ tive distribution. All offline interviews were also based on a quota selection of respondents. Ipsos Interactive Services(IIS), the specialist in in­ ternational online surveys within Ipsos, was in charge of programming the questionnaire and monitoring the Ipsos Online Access Panels and developing a user-friendly and intuitive survey link. The program was based on the English ver­ sion of the questionnaire and was tested by the Ipsos Public Affairs team. The English question­ naire was also translated into Albanian by a na­ tive speaker from Ipsos’ in-house global transla­ tion team. Albania 9 2. Methodology

3. Youth Study Albania Basic demographic characteristics and trends According to the Albanian National Institute of Statistics in 2022, young people(defined as those aged 15 to 29 years old) constituted 22 % of the to­ tal Albanian population, roughly distributed into three age groups(Labor Market Survey, 2022): those between the ages of 15 and 19 constitute 6 % of the total; those between 20 and 24 years of age constitute 8 %; and those between 25 and 29 years of age also constitute 8 %. More updat­ ed data are expected by the end of 2024 when the final results of the 2023 census are expected to be published. The total number of respondents in this survey was 680. Of the respondents, the mothers of about 9 % had not completed any level of formal education, 33.3 % had finished primary education, 25.5 % had finished vocational school, 11 % had finished gen­ eral high school, 9 % had a BA and another 9.3 % had a post-graduate degree. Very similar figures emerged for fathers’ educa­ tional level: 9.7 % finished no formal education, followed by 31.7 % who finished primary school; 25.2 % finished vocational school, 14.5 % complet­ ed general high school, 7 % have a BA and 8.5 % a post-graduate degree. Urban/rural settings The composition of the sample based on respond­ ents’ views on their living environment shows a prevalence of urban environments. People who are fully urban or mostly urban comprise a little over 55 %, with 39.2 % reported living in a rural or mostly rural area. Those reporting their area as something in between, often called a semi-urban environment, made up only 4.5 %. Parents’ education level Parents’ level of education is often an indicator of a family’s aspirations with regard to children’s de­ sired educational level, as well as the socio-eco­ nomic profile of the household. Financial situation The young people come from very different fami­ lies regarding financial means and opportunities. A small number of young respondents(around 1.6 %) say that their family’s income is not enough to cover basic needs and primary bills, followed by 7.7 % who say their family can afford food and electricity but struggle with other expenses, such as clothing. A large group belong to the mid­ dle class and say that they feel comfortable with everyday expenses, including clothes, but would face difficulties with larger expenses, such as household appliances. Another 27 % also belong to the comfortable middle class, who are able to cover all their expenses but who would still struggle with major purchases, such as buying an apartment or a car. Only 11.5 % say that their fam­ ily can buy whatever they need and deem it nec­ essary to have good living standards. The figures seem to be close enough to other sur­ veys with national sample sizes, such as the IRI poll conducted at the same time in spring 2024. In this poll, 12 % of respondents described the eco­ nomic situation of their household as very bad, followed by 23 % who described it as somewhat bad. The majority(57 %) described it as somewhat good and 7 % said it was very good(IRI WB Poll, March 2024). 10 3. Basic demographic characteristics and trends

4. Youth Study Albania Young people and education The Albanian education system has yet to over­ come the isolationist legacy of the communist re­ gime through innovation and exchange of exper­ tise. Young people naturally have high demands in terms of quality and integrity, which clash with the often static reality they find in their schools and university. On the lookout for a different, practical and impactful education often leads young people to seek opportunities beyond the country’s borders. Current situation Of those interviewed, 23.3 % were attending high school, either general or vocational. Another 20.6 % were attending university, 8.6 % were al­ ready pursuing an MA or PhD degree and a small group of less than 4 % was enrolled in some oth­ er form of educational programme or training. About 40 % are not participating in any educa­ tional programme; this includes those who are working. However, a worrying 7 % of those aged 14 to 19 also fall in this category. Quality and integrity: continuous challenges in education The majority of Albanian young people feel am­ bivalent about the quality of their education. The largest group, at 40 %, would characterise its quality as just average. This majority is flanked on both sides by a sizable group: about 26 % say they are completely or mostly dissatisfied, where­ as 27.7 % say they are mostly satisfied. Only 4 % of young people, an almost negligible sum, say that they are fully satisfied. Among young people, dissatisfaction grows with time: those that reach university age express even more discontent as they experience more of the sector. The quality of education is a very controversial topic in Albania, with social and political impli­ cations. As far as pre-university education is con­ cerned, the results of the PISA exam, 1 adminis­ tered to 15 year-old pupils in 2022, were deeply upsetting. Albania ranked 62 out of 80, and sec­ ond last in the entire Western Balkans region (Monitor 2023, Pisa results), experiencing a seri­ ous decline in maths, reading and science. Quality of education is also an important fac­ tor in weighing a move abroad. One-quarter of young people believe that it is the decisive rea­ son for studying abroad. However, a large group (around 40.7 %) would choose to study abroad because their chances of employability would be higher. Another 25 % would study abroad be­ cause they believe a degree obtained in anoth­ er country has more value than one obtained in Albania. Although value may mean different things to young people, it comprises the prestige, employability and transferability of a degree. A very minor group of young people, less than 5 %, would study abroad because it would give them better research opportunities and the opportuni­ ty to participate in more academic activities. 11 4. Young people and education

Youth Study Albania In an effort to gauge their perceptions of the presence of corruption in education, young peo­ ple were asked whether they agreed that some­ times grades or exams could be bought. It is wor­ rying that most young people have a moderate 40 % of young people use the internet as part of their educational activities hardly or not at all to strong perception of such forms of corruption. Less than 10 % would fully or moderately disagree with this statement. About 16 % say that they are uncertain, whereas more than 68 % would strong­ ly or even fully agree with the statement, indi­ cating high levels of distrust in the system. This means that two out of three Albanian young peo­ ple strongly believe that it is possible to obtain the desired grade or pass an exam through bribery. Moreover, there has been a steady increase in this perception since the previous national youth sur­ vey: the figure has risen from 45 % in 2015(Kam­ beri, Cela and Pici, 2015: 77) and 54 % in 2019 (Kamberi and Cela 2019: 45). Always, everywhere online When it comes to using the internet as part of their education, 40 % of young people seem not to use it very much: they are either not using it at all or spending less than 15 minutes to quickly check things they need for school. However, this number potentially includes those that are al­ ready working and therefore would not need to use the internet for this purpose. In fact, when it comes to going online for work purposes, more than 20 % of people stay online for between two and five and even more than five hours. The same percentage – around one in five respond­ ents – say that they stay online for educational tasks and learning for two to five hours or more than five hours. Respondents evidently spend long periods online on social networks. More than one-third spend anywhere between 30 minutes to two hours and another third between two and five hours. A small group(5.5 %) spends even more than five hours online in social media. On any given day, three out four respondents will be on social net­ works for hours on end. It does not seem that respondents spend time reading newspapers or online content. More than 74 % either spend no time or a maximum of 15 minutes per day doing so. Only about 19 % spend a sizable time, between 30 minutes and 2 hours in this kind of activity online, followed by an even more engaged group of 4 % who spend more. Main takeaways 1.  The majority of Albanian young people feel ambivalent about the quality of their education. 40 %, the largest group, would characterise its quality as average and more than a quarter are dissatisfied. 2.  Young people would choose to move abroad and study because then their diploma would have more value in terms of employability. 3.  The perception of corruption in the higher education system is very high. Two out of three Albanian young people strongly believe that one can get the desired grade or pass an exam through bribery. 4.  Respondents spend a considerable length of time online on their social media platforms. More than one-third report being online for a minimum of two and often for longer than five hours per day. 12 4. Young people and education

Youth Study Albania Fig. Views on corruption in education among youth in Albania (in%) Do you agree that there are cases when grades and diplomas are“bought” at institutions/universities in Albania? Completely Mostly disagree disagree In between Mostly agree . Gender → Total . Male . Female . Age → – . – . – .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . Completely agree . . . . . . Fig. Time spent online among youth in Albania (in%) No time at all Up to 30 minutes 30 minutes to 2 hours 2 to 5 hours More than 5 hours For learning and school 36 .5 12 .8 27 .1 17 .5 3 .0 For work tasks 49 .4 11 .3 14 .0 11 .6 9 .0 Online news and content 40 .2 34 .5 19 .0 3 .0 0 .8 Social networks 5 .0 12 .8 36 .8 37 .4 5 .5 13 4. Employment

5. Employment Youth unemployment in Albania at the end of 2023 was around 14.3 %, according to the Nation­ al Institute of Statistics, showing a steady increase since 2017(INSTAT cited in Monitor, 2024). It is a curious phenomenon, given the increasing de­ mand for labour, especially in tourism and servic­ es. It has generated a lively debate about the rea­ sons why a sizable share of young people do not engage with the domestic labour market, pre­ ferring to seek job prospects abroad. Addition­ ally, there is a budding phenomenon in Albania of recruiting foreign workers(BIRN, 2023), which will have social repercussions that need to be ob­ served in the long term. Youth Study Albania A very small number, about 2 %, were in occupa­ tional training. Some 19 % of young people asked were unemployed and actively seeking work. The largest group(24.4 %) was neither unemployed nor looking for a job and includes those who are studying. One key indicator is the number of young people who are not in employment, education or train­ ing(NEET). 2 In the national labour market sur­ vey of 2022, the share of young people who were NEET aged 15 to 29 was 25.2 %, much higher than the corresponding EU figure of 11.7 %(NEET Posi­ tion Albania, pp. 11–12). Employment status The respondents were asked about their employ­ ment status. About 17 % of respondents said they had a full-time contract and another 3.4 % had a part-time contract. Another 13 % had a tempo­ rary contract for a full-time position, followed by 2.7 % who had a temporary contract for a parttime position. For 5.6 % their employment com­ prised occasional jobs, whereas 7 % were self-em­ ployed. The respondents who answered that they were currently working were asked to define wheth­ er their job was in line with their educational background. Of those asked, 36.7 % answered that they were working in a field matching their background and another 17.7 % said their current job came close; 27.3 % answered that they do not work within their field and 17 % said they were not trained in any particular profession. The relatively high number of those that indicate their current work does not match their profes­ sion – more than one-quarter – is an indicator of a mismatch of education with actual labour mar­ ket needs. This is a persistent problem in Albania, where traditional degrees, such as in medicine and law, still exert a strong influence. Additionally, to estimate the compatibility of their work with their overall education, respondents were asked to determine whether their current position was in line with the level of education and the degree they had obtained. A group of 21 % said their job was beneath their acquired lev­ el of formal education. The majority of 65 % said the job matched their level of education, where­ as 5 % said the job actually required a higher lev­ el of education than the one they had achieved. An additional 5 % did not know how to answer the question. 14 5. Employment

Youth Study Albania Fig. Current position and profession of youth in Albania (in%) All respondents with a job Requires a lower level of formal education compared to mine Is in line with my achieved level of formal education Requires a higher level of formal education compared to mine 5.6 4.5 20.7 21.1 Male Female 62.0 68.6 Factors involved in getting a job and reasons for refusing one Finally, respondents were asked to express their opinion on factors important to searching for and finding a job. An overwhelming 40 % believe the most important factor is connections with those in power. Experience from abroad is also very valuable. About 60 % of respondents say that it is mostly or very important. Party membership is also con­ sidered very important for about 45 % of those asked. Respondents also generally value expertise as a factor; however for 11 % this does not seem to matter and for another 23 % it is only an in-be­ tween factor. Compared with the previous survey(Kamberi and Cela, 2019: 57), there is a decrease in those point­ ing to connections to people in power as the key factor, from 57 % to 40 % whereas other factors such as party membership and experience from abroad stayed relatively steady. Asked whether they think they would find a job within one year with an Albanian university de­ gree and associated skills, young people showed varied levels of confidence. More than 37 % do not believe that would be the case, disagreeing with the statement. Another group of 23.7 % feels uncertain. About 28 % feel fairly confident that armed with an Albanian university degree they could find appropriate employment within the year. Overall, only one-quarter believe in the val­ ue of an Albanian diploma to guarantee them employment in the short to medium term. Young people were asked to describe various reasons for refusing a job offer in Albania, in an attempt to gauge what is important for them when choosing a job. A majority(63 %) men­ tioned that wages would be the decisive factor: an inadequate wage would cause them to refuse a job. Another 20 % mentioned the importance of working conditions. Other elements, such as proper career advancement opportunities and a mismatch between educational background and specific job position are mentioned by smaller groups, 5.4 and 8.5 %, respectively. 15 5. Employment

Youth Study Albania Fig. Important factors for nding a job according to youth in Albania (in%) In your opinion, how important are the following factors for a young person to nd a job in your country? Not important at all Mostly not important In between Very important Mostly important .. Expertise Connections with .. people in power Membership in a . political party Experience .. abroad . . . . . . . . . . .. . Main takeaways 1.  19 % of young people asked are unemployed and actively seeking a job. 2.  A considerable proportion of those who work do so either in a job which does not align with their profession(27.3 %) or in a position below their attained level of education(21 %), confirming how difficult it can be for the education sector to match labour market needs. 3.  When it comes to finding a job, having connections to influential people beats expertise. However, having experience abroad is also considered a very powerful asset. 4.  Wages and working conditions are key factors that young people consider when accepting or refusing a position. Don’t know . . . . 16 5. Employment

6. Youth Study Albania Mobility Albania is often ranked as among the top coun­ tries in the world when it comes to the relative size of its diaspora. Emigration is quite high and the extent to which young Albanians wish to leave the country is a topic of great interest and debate. The perceptions and plans of young peo­ ple and their vision of the future have a deep im­ pact on policies regulating the country’s econom­ ic and social life. Experience abroad Respondents were asked whether they had been abroad as part of their education or training or for similar reasons. Only 5.5 % had done so as part of their higher education and a small group of less than 3 % as part of their secondary educa­ tion. Other small groups, of 4.4 % and 0.6 %, had been abroad either for vocational training or oth­ er programmes. A sizable group(41.7 %) had not been aboard yet but intended to do so in the fu­ ture, whereas 43 % said they did not intend to go abroad in the future. Some 46 % of girls/women desired to move abroad compared with 36 % of boys/men. A minority, 18 %, had been abroad for longer than 6 months. Desire and plans to leave Regarding the strength of their desire to em­ igrate(to leave the country for longer than 6 months), young people gave a wide range of an­ swers. Some 27 % say they harbour no such de­ sire and wish to remain in Albania and 8.1 % have a weak desire. One-quarter have a moderate de­ sire to leave, indicating some level of ambivalence over the concrete decision to move or to stay. The largest group, 35.5 %, has either a strong or a very strong desire to emigrate. Indeed, Albania has the second-highest figure in the region, surpassed this year only by Northern Macedonia with 39 %. Compared with the previous youth study in Alba­ nia, the numbers have changed very little. There has been a very slight decrease in the numbers at the two extremes: those not planning to migrate decreased from 32 to 27 % and those very much wishing to leave decreased from 43 to 36 %(Kam­ beri and Cela, 2019: 37–38). Taking into consideration only those expressing any level of desire to leave the country, the sur­ vey gauged their perceived readiness to leave. Among those who wish to leave, 11 % imagine do­ ing so within the next six months and 18 % within two years. These groups are often those that are more likely to seek quick migration options and often make plans and preparations to do so. Onefifth of the sample(21 %) imagined themselves leaving in the medium term, within five years. Around 13 % said they had longer-term plans, im­ agining leaving in 10 years or later. Over 35 % said they did not know when they would leave. Another question was posed to determine the duration of the period to be spent abroad. More than one-fifth of the sample(22.7 %) said they in­ tended to move and stay abroad for good. An­ other 5.7 % said they intended to stay more than 20 years. A group of 7 % said they were looking to stay between 10 to 20 years, a long period. Some 10 % said they wanted to stay five to ten years, 15.7 % less than five years and 7.5 % less than one year. 17 6. Mobility

Youth Study Albania Fig. Desire to emigrate among youth in Albania (in%) How strong is your desire to move to another country for more than six months(emigrate)? Gender ↓ Male Female 14–18 Age ↓ 19–24 25–29 Low Education ↓ Medium High I do not intend to emigrate 27 .6 26 .7 32 .4 24 .8 25 .7 30 .4 29 .0 22 .9 Weak 8 .9 7 .3 6 .8 8 .7 8 .4 8 .2 6 .8 9 .2 Moderate 25 .5 27 .4 18 .7 28 .7 29 .9 20 .0 25 .2 32 .5 Strong 21 .5 16 .6 23 .1 20 .1 14 .7 20 .8 20 .7 16 .1 Very strong 14 .3 18 .7 15 .3 14 .7 19 .4 15 .2 16 .9 17 .1 Again, respondents with the desire to leave were asked whether they had taken any steps to real­ ise their desires. About 5.6 % had contacted the relevant embassies of their target destinations and another 8 % had contacted potential em­ ployers in those countries. A group of 7 % had es­ tablished contact with schools or universities they aimed to attend or to explore going to and a small 2.2 % had already gotten scholarships. The largest group, 30 %, had just kept in contact with friends or relatives abroad to obtain information. More than half, 54 %, had not taken any steps so far. The results of this youth survey are in line with other surveys in Albania with national samples. For example, a survey done in 2023 indicates that around 13 % of respondents were preparing to leave the country within a year and that 32 % said that if they emigrated it would be for good. About 70 % would seriously consider leaving Al­ bania if they are given a chance to do so(Balla, 2023: 8–9). Finally, those who had expressed a desire to leave were asked about their reasons. The key reason for about 39 % was to seek a better standard of living, followed by 21.6 % who said that the main reason was to obtain a higher wage. For 7.4 % the reason was to obtain a better quality education, whereas for 13.5 % better employment possibili­ ties were the key reason. Very small groups said their reason was either to experience a different culture(1.8 %), to be close to loved ones(3.7 %), to be in a stable country (2.4 %), to escape an unfavourable situation at home(1 %) or to have higher chances of starting their own business(2.7 %). Some 3 % said the rea­ son pushing them away from Albania was corrup­ tion and clientelism. Asked specifically about the most important fac­ tors in leaving Albania in general(as compared with personal reasons), respondents indicated economic reasons. The low level of incomes came up first, given by 57 % of respondents, followed by the high cost of living, mentioned by over 29 %, again indicating precarity and a lack of opportu­ nity to have a dignified life. After these two rea­ sons small groups of people of around 5 % each had noted the labour market shortages in the EU, which might act as pull factors, as well as peer pressure or‘imitating others’. Encouraging return and diaspora contribution Asked to evaluate different ways in which the Al­ banian government can engage with the skilled and entrepreneurial young people that have left the country respondents agreed with several op­ tions put to them: around 14 % said that the best way is to provide them with a short- or long-term diaspora grant for the high skilled; 18 6. Mobility

Youth Study Albania Fig. Measures taken to emigrate by youth in Albania (in%) What have you done so far to leave the country? Contacted the respective embassy of intended destination Contacted potential employers Male 4 .4 Gender ↓ Female 6 .8 9 .8 5 .9 14–18 4 .5 2 .2 Contacted potential universities/schools 5 .7 8 .2 7 .9 Secured a scholarship 3 .6 0 .7 – Contacted friends/relatives 31 .3 27 .7 24 .5 Nothing 51 .4 56 .5 69 .1 Age ↓ 19–24 4 .8 9 .1 9 .5 4 .9 29 .6 49 .7 25–29 7 .1 10 .4 3 .4 0 .7 32 .7 48 .3 another 24.2 % opted for a policy of zero taxation for the first five years after someone’s return to Albania and finally 40.6 % said that the best way was to support business ideas with state loans, which are generally more favourable than pri­ vate credit. Smaller percentages of respondents, around 7.7 %, mentioned other possible ways. Main takeaways 1.  The number of respondents with edu­ cational experience abroad, whether for high school or higher education programmes remains small at around 12 %. 2.  More than 40 % of young people who have not been abroad yet want to do so in the future, particularly young women. 3.  More than one-third of those surveyed harbour a strong desire to leave the country. Among those, 11 % see themselves leaving within the next 6 months. 4.  Albania is surpassed in the region only by North Macedonia in terms of having the largest percentage of young people with a prevailing desire to emigrate. 5.  More than one-fifth of those who wish to leave imagine doing so for good, whereas 30 % do not really know for how long they wish to remain away. 6.  The key push factors for migration as perceived by young people are seeking better living standards and higher wages. Pull factors such as labour market needs in target countries do not gather as many mentions – only 5 % see them as primary factors. 7.  More than 28 % of those wanting to leave do not see themselves coming back to Albania. 8.  Supporting new businesses with state loans is the favoured option for getting the diaspora back to the country. 19 6. Mobility

7. Youth Study Albania Family and plans for the future The transition to adulthood is characterised by changes in relationships with family members, peers and romantic partners. Typically, relation­ ships with peers and romantic partners take up more attention(Lindell and Campione-Barr, 2017), while those with family members become more flexible and less dependent(Aquilino, 2006). Peers and romantic partners can become a focal point for young people during the transition to adulthood(Guan and Fuligni, 2015). Nevertheless, it looks as if family members still play an impor­ tant role in young people’s lives during this pro­ cess. Young people often remain financially de­ pendent on their parents even into their twenties (Lindell and Campione-Barr, 2017). Choosing a romantic partner who could be a life companion is another marker of the transition to adulthood. Although romantic love is very often referred to as an inner drive that sweeps people away, the selection of a partner certainly involves a fairly accurate cost/benefit analysis(Little, 2016). The selection process that young people make is often influenced by various sociological and cultural variables, such as income potential, education, and values, to maximise the relation­ ship’s benefits or emotional rewards(Little, 2016). The information presented in this chapter will shed light on Albanian young people’s house­ holds and the selection of romantic partners. Households In a cumulative analysis of collected data, it seems that most young people in Albania live with at least one of their parents(65.8 % with the mother and 59.9 % with the father). Compared with the results of the FES youth study conducted by Kam­ beri and Cela in 2019, in which 82 % of young peo­ ple reported living with their parents, there has been a fall in the number of young people who make this choice. On the other hand, there has been an increase in the number of young peo­ ple who live on their own(7 %) compared with 2019(1 %)(Kamberi and Cela, 2019). Although the overall number is not large, the results sug­ gest that over the past four years a tendency has evolved towards seeking an independent life. Based on the data collected, almost half of the respondents(48.7 %) live with their siblings. This is especially the case within those 14–18 years of age(72.3 %). The data are in line with the theo­ retical assumption that siblings are a valuable source of support and companionship to each other, particularly during teen years(Branje, van Lieshout, van Aken and Haselager, 2004). The findings reveal that only a small number of young people live with their children(7 %). It is notable, however, that more women(10.8 %) than men(3.4 %) live with their children. This may suggest that the former are closer to their children. Bearing in mind that such young cou­ ples’ children are usually very young, this finding could be related to the cultural attitude that the mother is the most important primary caretak­ er for toddlers and preschool children(Dervishi, Sado and Spaho, 2013). The main reason why young people live with their parents is because they find it to be the most sim­ ple and comfortable solution(62 %). The data show a decline compared with 2019(78 %)(Kam­ beri and Cela, 2019). The second reason why they choose to live with their parents is their financial situation. It’s important to note that young peo­ ple are more worried about this today(25.8 %) than in 2019(17 %)(Kamberi and Cela, 2019). A small percentage of the young people(7 %) who participated in the survey declared that they would prefer to live on their own, but do not do so because their parents do not allow it. 20 7. Family and plans for the future

Youth Study Albania Relationship with parents Adolescence represents an adjustment period for teens during which parent–child relation­ ships seek a new balance. The establishment of a positive relationship with parents appears to be important for young Albanians. Most stated that they get along very well with their parents (63.1 %). A smaller percentage of young partici­ pants(32.6 %) reported having a good relation­ ship with their parents overall, but that some­ times they have differences of opinion. Only a small number of young people responded that they do not get along with their parents(2.1 %) and some seem to have a very conflictual rela­ tionship with them(1.2 %). But generally speak­ ing, there seems to be a low rate of conflict be­ tween young people and their parents. Based on the results, it can be assumed that youth–par­ ent relations have evolved in a more functional direction, with more space for youth autonomy and less inappropriate parental control(Panahi, Modarres and Areshtanab, 2023). Current relationship status Based on the data we gathered most respond­ ents are single(74.8 %) and a much lower num­ ber are married(11.5 %). In addition, some are in relationships and live with their partners(5.6 %), while some others are in a relationship but live separately(6.9 %). Compared with the FES youth study conducted by Kamberi and Cela in 2019, there has been a decline in the number of young people who are single(86 %) and an increase in the number who cohabitate(1 %) and of those who live separately(1 %), while the number of young people who are married has remained al­ most the same(11 %). This lends credence to the idea that young people’s tendency to be in a re­ lationship but without the institutional and tra­ ditional trappings has slightly increased over the past four years. It is noteworthy that divorce is not a common concern among Albanian young people(0.3 %). This result is in line with the find­ ing that Albania has among the lowest divorce rates in Europe(European Union, 2021). Reasons for choosing a partner In the survey, young people were presented with various factors they might consider when choos­ ing a romantic partner. Figure 7 shows that the most important factor is level of education (64.2 %). Compared with the findings present­ ed by Kamberi and Cela in 2019, there has been a slight decrease(70 %) in the proportion who con­ sider this factor relevant. Moreover, women/girls seem to put more weight on education(69.6 %) than men/boys(58.9 %). The second most important factor when choos­ ing a partner is family approval(59.7 %). Although this remains valuable, it has fallen compared with four years ago(69 %)(Kamberi and Cela, 2019). Family approval appears to be more important among young people with a low level of educa­ tion(70.9 %). It is also interesting that this factor is similarly important for both men/boys(58.1 %) and women/girls(61.4 %). The third factor that young people believe to be important when choosing a romantic partner is financial status(44.2 %). Twice as many respond­ ents in the latest survey reported this factor as very important as in 2019, when only 22 % did so. This result is nearly the same with that of the FES youth study in 2015, when 42 % of participants considered the financial factor to be very impor­ tant(Cela, Kamberi and Pici, 2015). This finding suggests that youth perceptions of the role of fi­ nancial status in a relationship tend to be flexible and potentially affected by social and economic dynamics(Vykopalova, 2014). As can be seen in Figure 7, 38.9 % of young people consider national origin to be important when deciding to start a relationship. Although most do not see it as a determining factor, the result suggests they are not entirely indifferent to the role of cultural values and attitudes in choosing their partner. It needs to be mentioned that atti­ tudinal compatibility is a significant predictor of marital stability(Apostu, 2021). 21 7. Family and plans for the future

Youth Study Albania Fig. Important factors when choosing a partner for youth in Albania (in%) How important are the following for you when choosing a partner? Male Gender ↓ Female 14–18 Age ↓ 19–24 Religious beliefs 28 .0 25 .7 33 .3 24 .2 Economic standing 37 .9 50 .6 48 .1 35 .5 Family approval 58 .1 61 .4 70 .9 49 .7 Virginity 26 .3 10 .9 20 .7 19 .3 Education level 58 .9 69 .6 67 .1 46 .4 National origin 40 .9 36 .9 40 .4 39 .0 25–29 24 .6 49 .4 60 .7 16 .4 78 .7 37 .7 The data reveal that young people are not very interested in the religious beliefs of their fu­ ture partner – only 26.9 % of them referred to it as a significant factor. However, the importance of this issue has increased compared with 2019 when a lower number of young people(19 %) considered religion very important(Kamberi and Cela, 2019). Less than one-fifth(18.6 %) of young people who participated in the study asserted that virginity is important or very important for them when choosing a partner. This shows that most young people do not consider it important in the de­ velopment of a positive and long-lasting roman­ tic relationship. The proportion of young people who place particular weight on this matter has dropped sharply compared with four years ago, when 44 % of respondents considered it a signif­ icant factor(Kamberi and Cela, 2019). Main takeaways 1.  Most young people live with their parents but in recent years a tendency can be noted towards an independent life. 3.  A positive parent-child relationship appears to be a stable marker of family relationships in Albania. 4.  Most youth respondents are single. However, a potential trend toward cohabitation is noted. 5.  Divorce is not an issue of concern for young people in Albania. 6.  Education level is an essential criterion when choosing a partner. This is particularly important for women/girls. 7.  Family approval remains important when choosing a partner but to a lesser extent than in 2019. On the other hand, young people’s interest in the financial situ­ ation of their partner had doubled compared with four years ago. 8.  Young people show relatively little interest in religion and virginity. How­ ever, they pay more attention to religion and less to virginity compared with 4 years ago. 2.  Young people live with their parents because it is more convenient. In line with this, young people’s concerns about living costs have increased over the past four years. 22 7. Family and plans for the future

8. Youth Study Albania General values, attitudes and perceptions Attitudes are complex psychological mechanisms that influence and are influenced by numerous factors, such as personal experiences, social in­ teractions and cognitive processes. They can also impact our decision-making, behaviour and as­ sessments(Johnson, Martinez-Berman and Cur­ ley, 2022). Young people have opinions and at­ titudes about many sensitive social issues, which are significantly influenced by their surroundings. These individual values impact the way they view themselves and relate to others, how they devel­ op their perceptions of social rights, justice, family and religion, and how they participate in the civ­ il and political life of the country(Johnson et al., 2022). Therefore, increasing knowledge of youth attitudes and opinions on different aspects of their lives can increase social consciousness and assist the development of effective strategies for addressing community challenges. As Figure 8 shows in a top two box model, a very high percentage(90.2 %) consider healthy eating to be important. This is a fairly stable attitude that could be rooted in Albanian culture. Being inde­ pendent is the value young people consider to be second most important(84.1 %). This result seems to be in full accordance with the finding mentioned in the previous chapter that there is a growing tendency among young peo­ ple to live on their own. A slightly higher number of women/girls(88.1 %) than men/boys(80.1 %) consider this factor to be important. Another noteworthy fact is that a high number of young people(82.5 %) believe that having children is a valuable aspect of one’s life. This is equally essen­ tial for both men/boys and women/girls. One’s professional career is another aspect of life that a significant number(81.4 %) consider impor­ tant or very important. This is crucial for a slight­ ly higher number of women/girls(84 %) than men/boys(78.8 %). Women/girls appear to be also more interested in getting a university de­ gree(84.8 %) than men/boys(73.1 %). Howev­ er, it needs to be mentioned that this remains a significant factor for both genders(78.9 %). Fur­ thermore, young people consider taking respon­ sibility a valuable attitude(75.1 %). There is not a significant gender difference in this regard. Ad­ ditionally, more than half of respondents(61.1 %) believe that being rich is something worth aspir­ ing to. Considerable percentages believe that doing sports(75.5 %) and looking good(73.1 %) are important parts of people’s lives. On the oth­ er hand, a fairly small portion of respondents (22.8 %) thinks that wearing brand-name clothes is important. These results may lead one to as­ sume that young people place significant weight on a healthy life and appearance. However, they do not seem to relate this to wearing expensive clothing. The data reveal that young people are not very willing to participate in civil initiatives(24 %) and are even less interested in political activi­ ties(14 %). There is no gender difference in rela­ tion to these issues, however. Unfortunately, this is a quite stable attitude among young Albani­ ans, who demonstrated similar attitudes in 2019 (Kamberi and Cela, 2019). 23 8. General values, attitudes and perceptions

Youth Study Albania Fig. Importance of values among youth in Albania (in%) How much are the following items important for you? ‘Very important’ and‘Mostly important’ answers combined Having children Doing sports Healthy eating Wearing branded clothes Looking good Getting/being rich Getting/being married Participating in civil actions/initiatives Being active in politics Having a successful career Graduating from university Being independent Taking responsibility 18.5 27.0 14.9 13.1 25.5 22.5 82.1 82.8 77.8 73.2 87.8 92.7 73.5 72.6 69.1 65.1 75.9 76.5 Male Female 78.8 84.0 73.1 84.8 80.1 88.1 76.9 73.2 Life satisfaction When asked about their satisfaction with life in general, on a scale from 1 to 10, many participants (48.5 %) responded that they are quite satisfied. Only a small percentage(5.9 %) reported not be­ ing happy with their lives. Furthermore, most young people(83.8 %) envisage their situation in the next decade as being better than at present. They seem to be less optimistic about the future of their country, but they are still positive about their own future(57.5 %). Fears and concerns When young people were asked to express their concerns related to the socio-economic situa­ tion of the country, they reported that their ma­ jor fear is not finding a job(61.2 %). Many young respondents are also afraid of becoming serious­ ly ill(56.3 %). This could be related to the fact that most do not rely on the Albanian health care sys­ tem(59.3 %). Also noteworthy is that almost half of the respondents(48.6 %) reported being very afraid and 29.6 % somewhat afraid of war. 24 8. General values, attitudes and perceptions

Youth Study Albania Young people seem to be concerned about being the victims of sexual violence, physical violence and robbery, at 38.6 %, 41.2 % and 43.8 %, respec­ tively. Taking into consideration social sensitivity as well as the short- and long-term consequences of this behaviour on people’s physical and men­ tal health(Campbell, Greeson, Raja and Bybee, 2008), these fears seem to be significant among young people. The data show that women/girls are more afraid of these things than men/boys. By contrast, as Figure 9 shows, young people do not appear to be very concerned about domes­ tic violence(48.7 %). This is in accordance with the finding that the vast majority(93 %) think that beating a partner on the ground that they are behaving disrespectfully is not acceptable be­ haviour. The data also indicate that the respondents are afraid of terrorist acts(43.3 %), the negative ef­ fects of climate change(49.8 %) and the potential occurrence of a global pandemic(42.9 %). They seem to be somewhat worried about the poten­ tial negative effects of so-called“artificial intel­ ligence”(37.6 %) and the increasing number of refugees in Albania(35.4 %). Furthermore, in re­ lation to their future economic situation, young people doubt they will ever receive a decent pen­ sion, but they are not afraid about their housing situation. Justified behaviour Social values foster the development of norms, which are behaviours in particular circumstanc­ es based on socially accepted standards. In oth­ er words, they lay the ground for accepting or re­ jecting specific behavioural norms. Even though social values have this function in a society, they are often relative and tend to change depend­ ing on gender, age group or education level(Me­ nard, 2015). With this in mind, young people were asked to express their opinion on various social behaviours on a Likert scale from 1 to 10 points. The data show that most consider homosexual­ ity to be socially unacceptable(82.8 %). This re­ sult replicates the findings of the FES youth study in 2019(Kamberi and Cela, 2019), in which young people also showed a lack of tolerance towards homosexuality. More than half of respondents are against ac­ cepting or paying a bribe(54.8 %). It should be noted that men/boys show are more accepting of this behaviour than women/girls. Additionally, 42.1 % of young respondents think that cheating on taxes is not right. Some 39 % of young people are against using connections to get things done and also abortion. As regards their willingness to live in the same neighbourhood as people from different social groups they exhibited a variety of opinions. Most were positive about living in the same area as Muslims and other Christians. A lower percentage accepted the idea of living with Jewish or Roma people. On the other hand, most young partici­ pants appear to be reluctant to live in the same community as LGBTQIA+ people. Also not with people who have drug addiction problems. Discrimination Discrimination refers to the differential treatment of people just because they belong to a certain social group. People may be victims of discrimination because of their age, origin, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, language and many other reasons. This social phenomenon, which tends to originate from people’s prejudices, may have significant negative consequences on people’s lives, preventing them from being social­ ly or politically engaged, as well as limiting their access to work or health care and education ser­ vices(Fibbi, Midtbøen and Simon, 2021). When asked about discrimination, the vast ma­ jority of young participants responded that they have never faced discrimination based on their gender(86.5 %), economic background(79.6 %), religious beliefs(87.2 %), origin(85.3 %), political views(83.7 %), sexual orientation(91.6 %), or lan­ guage(84.3 %). 25 8. General values, attitudes and perceptions

Youth Study Albania Fig. Fears and concerns of youth in Albania (in%) To what extent are you frightened or concerned in relation to the following things? A lot . Housing problems Not having a . sufficient pension . Negative effects of AI . Bad healthcare system . War Victim of . domestic violence Global . pandemic Too many immigrants . and refugees Pollution and . climate change . Terrorist attack . Having no job . Getting seriously ill . Getting robbed Getting . sexually assaulted Getting . physically assaulted Somewhat . Not at all . Don’t know . ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Some of these findings seem to contradict the conclusions of other studies conducted in Alba­ nia, however, which affirm the existence of gen­ der-related inequalities in various respects, such as access to politics, public administration and business(Kuci, 2023), not to mention ethnic dis­ crimination against Roma and Balkan Egyptian community members(Jasini, 2024). These con­ tradictions need to be explored further in future research studies. Religion and minority groups The majority of young people who participat­ ed in the survey(67.6 %) declared themselves to be Muslims. However, they don’t seem to be re­ ligious practitioners because when asked how often they have participated in religious events, 36.9 % responded practically never, 25.3 % only on special occasions and 10.8 % once a year. 26 8. General values, attitudes and perceptions

Youth Study Albania Fig. Experience of discrimination among youth in Albania (in%) Have you ever experienced discrimination for any of the following reasons? Never . gender . economic background . religious beliefs . ethnic origin . political convictions . sexual orientation . spoken language Sometimes . Often .. .. .. .. . .. The rights of minority groups are based on the recognition that they are in a vulnerable situation compared with most of the population. They are established to protect minorities from discrimina­ tion due to their social status and serve to give all members of society equal access to their funda­ mental rights(Mihandoost and Babajanian, 2016). The perceptions of young Albanians differ in re­ lation to the rights of some minority groups. For example, 48.5 % believe that women as a minor­ ity group already have enough rights, but 42.6 % think that they don’t. As regards ethnic minority rights, 48.8 % of young people believe they have enough rights and only 25.8 % believe that they do not have enough rights. The study also aimed to understand young peo­ ple’s perceptions of their own rights. The results revealed that 53.2 % do not think they are dis­ criminated against, while 42.6 % believe that they do not have enough rights. Societal views It is important to acknowledge that diversity of views and beliefs is natural. But it is also crucial to be mindful that such differences can contribute to social divisions if they are not properly under­ stood. In the survey, young people were asked to give their opinions on various sensitive social sit­ uations. In relation to LGBTQIA+ people, most young people(53.9 %) believe they have enough or too many rights, and a significantly lower number of young respondents(22 %) think they do not have enough rights. The data suggest that young peo­ ple believe that members of this community are not discriminated against by society or its insti­ tutions. On the other hand, young people think that people from lower economic classes are dis­ criminated against in Albania, with 61.9 % re­ sponding that they do not have enough rights. As Figure 11 shows, more than half of youth re­ spondents(55.3 %) believe that men/boys do not make better political leaders than women/girls and 38.9 % believe the opposite. Considering that political life in Albania is dominated by men, this is a surprising result. It shows that most young people are not satisfied with the“male” style of doing politics. The results also suggest that the involvement of women/girls in politics needs to be stepped up considerably. 27 8. General values, attitudes and perceptions

Youth Study Albania Fig. Societal views among youth in Albania (in%) How strongly do you agree with the following statements? ‘Agree’ and‘Neither agree or disagree’ answers combined Same-sex couples are just as good as parents as heterosexual couples Immigrants enrich our culture Same-sex couples should have the right to marry Jews have too much in uence There is a natural hierarchy between black and white peoples Men should have a greater right to a job We need to protect our own culture against other cultures Men make better political leaders 16.4 21.3 20.0 27.2 29.4 25.2 18.7 58.1 59.1 49.7 47.6 42.3 24.4 53.3 Male Female 81.6 80.3 However, there is a gender difference in this re­ gard: the percentage of women/girls who believe that men do not make better political leaders is significantly higher(70.9 %) than the percentage of men/boys with that opinion(40 %). 59 % of young Albanians think that immigrants enrich their culture In relation to equal employment opportunities, most think that men/boys should not have more access than women/girls. It is notable, however, that more women/girls(78.3 %) hold this opinion than men/boys(52.6 %). It is also worrying that a considerable number of young people(48.6 %) support the idea that there is a natural hierarchy between white and black people, while 39.2 % do not share this same opinion. The data show that most young Albanians(61.9 %) tend to be protective of their own cultural norms and values from the influences of other cultures. On the other hand, more than half(58.6 %) think that immigrants enrich their culture. These op­ posing views might be an indicator of youth con­ fusion in relation to the acceptable influences of other cultures on their customs. A substantial majority(68.6 %) believe that samesex couples should not have the right to marry. A high percentage(73.6 %) also think that same-sex couples cannot be good parents. The data show that young people in Albania are interested in environmental protection. When asked whether the government should take con­ crete initiatives to protect the environment, 67.6 % appeared supportive. 28 8. General values, attitudes and perceptions

Youth Study Albania One of the objectives of this survey was to ad­ dress a particularly sensitive social issue in Albania, namely so-called“blood revenge” and“private justice”, interrelated concepts rooted in ancient customs(Sadiku, 2014). Young people were asked what they would do if someone from their fami­ ly were murdered: 38 % said they would leave this matter to the justice system, 28 % said they would take revenge and 35 % of participants chose not to answer. This result indicates that even though most respondents trust the justice system, a sub­ stantial part of young people still believe that per­ sonal justice is better than state justice to protect the family honour. Main takeaways 1.  The top two values for most young respondents are healthy eating and independence. 6.  Young people show a fairly positive attitude towards religious and ethnic minorities, but they are far less tolerant towards LGBTQIA+ and people with drug problems. 7.  A major proportion of young respondents believe that minorities enjoy full rights in Albania. Nevertheless, more than half believe that people from the lower economic classes are discriminated against. 8.  A significant percentage of young people exhibit racist attitudes toward black people. 9.  Most young participants think that men are not better leaders than women. However, it is important to stress that more women/girls than men/boys take this view. 2.  YYoung people report being willing to take responsibility for their own lives and being highly focused on education and professional career. 3.  Young people are not interested in engaging in the social and political life of the country. 4.  Two major fears of young people are not finding a job and becoming seriously ill. 5.  The majority of young people are against bribery, cheating on taxes and using connections to get things done. 10.  The majority of young people are against same-sex marriage and do not believe that they can be good parents. 11.  The concept of blood revenge is still present among young people in Albania. Although most respondents trust the justice system, more than a quarter state they would take justice into their own hands to“save” the honour of the family. 29 8. General values, attitudes and perceptions

9. Youth Study Albania Political attitudes and participation Political apathy as defined in Merriam and Gos­ nell(1925) and Dean(1965) is clearly reflected in the attitudes of young Albanians. The survey re­ sults show that 53.6 % of respondents are not in­ terested in politics, while only 8.7 % are very inter­ ested in it. This is a huge difference, representing political indifference that has already turned into a genuine social syndrome, disconnecting young people from politics, despite the fact that it necessarily plays a major role in young people’s lives. Although the high percentage – 68.7 % – of young people aged 14–18 who lack interest in politics is understandable because this age group does not vote, it is also observed in oth­ er age groups, namely those aged 19–24, at 49 %, and those aged 25–29, at 47.1 %. Interest in politics Against this background, self-reported knowl­ edge of politics is at a low level among young people of all age groups: 31.2 % state that they have no knowledge of politics at all. With regard to gender, women/girls and men/boys seem to have a similar level of knowledge. This is regard­ less of level of education or geographical origin. In general, 89 % of young people state they lack knowledge of politics, while a small percentage (5.6 %) confirm they do have such knowledge. Although interviewees expressed having no inter­ est in or knowledge about politics, they respond­ ed to how their interests are represented through policies and political party discourse. From the survey data, 24.8 % of young people confirm that their interests are not reflected in politics, while 33.7 % affirm that they are represented poor­ ly and without the attention that would make it possible for politics to provide solutions to their problems. However, young people are able to perceive the weight and influence of public poli­ cies on their daily life. These policies include those that directly affect important aspects such as ed­ ucation, employment and professional develop­ ment. Only 10 % of the young people interviewed state that their interests are very well represent­ ed in politics. Representation of young people’s interests in politics Participation in elections is considered a key ele­ ment of inclusion in a country’s political process­ es. According to the official data of the Central Election Commission, there is a high number of voters aged 18 in Albania who can vote for the first time among the 3,588,869 eligible voters. Due to high emigration, with about 40 % of Alba­ nian citizens living abroad, the number of voters on the electoral rolls, according to the General Di­ rectorate of the Civil Register, is 26 % higher than the resident population in Albania. According to INSTAT, the resident population in the country is 2,845,955 people, of whom about 23.7 % are un­ der the age of 19. As a result, the country’s res­ ident voting age population is about 60 % of those eligible to vote. In the last election held in 2023, 107,024 voters were able to vote for the first time. Here, 50 % of those interviewed said that they had voted in the last elections. Participation in elections expresses an interest in politics as an instrument of change. Here, young Albanians do not show electoral indifference, but are more in­ clined to follow a passive approach than a proac­ tive one with direct involvement in politics. 30 9. Political attitudes and participation

Youth Study Albania Fig. Interest in politics among youth in Albania (in%) How much are you personally interested in politics? Not interested at all Mostly not In interested between . Gender → Male . Female .. .. . Age → – . – . – . .. .. . Education → Low . Medium . High . .. . . Mostly interested Very interested .. .. .. . .. .. . . . . . . . The political preferences of young Albanians in the last elections to some extent reflect the general tendencies of the Albanian electorate overall, who in the last elections voted primari­ ly for the Socialist Party, which has been in pow­ er since 2013. Based on the survey data, 45.09 % of the young people questioned said that they had voted for the Socialist Party in the last elec­ tions. There are only minor gender differences as regards choice of party: 45.5 % of young men and 46.2 % of young women said they had voted for the Socialist Party. The young people who did not vote in the last elections gave a variety of reasons. Some 17.3 % answered that their participation would not change anything in the electoral result. The opin­ ion that Albania has an electoral status quo is reflected in the portion of young people who consider elections to be a formality. This is espe­ cially true among young women, 22.2 % of whom have this opinion compared with 13.3 % of young men. Some 13.6 % of respondents justified their non-participation on the grounds that the par­ ties were not offering anything new. The largest percentage of young people, 27.5 %, responded that their abstention from voting in the last elec­ tions was due to their lack of interest in politics in general. Regarding how they intend to vote in the next elections, 25.4 % said that they would again vote for the Socialist Party. However, another 30 % have not yet decided. Such a high percentage of undecided young people suggests a space for new parties, but it can also be a sign of non-par­ ticipation in the next elections, implying a lack of hope for change from the current parties. How­ ever, even the level of support for recently creat­ ed parties expected to compete in the 2025 elec­ tions is only between 0.1 and 0.4 %. Such figures show that young people have little hope in poli­ tics as an instrument for change. In relation to left- or right-wing political orienta­ tion, the young people interviewed have a slight inclination towards the left. However, generally speaking young people’s levels of interest with regard to left and right are more or less the same. 31 9. Political attitudes and participation

Youth Study Albania Fig. Youth in Albania’s opinion on their represenatation in politics (in%) How well do you think young peoples’ interests are represented in national politics? Gender ↓ Male Female 14–18 Age ↓ 19–24 25–29 Low Education ↓ Medium Not at all 25 .1 24 .6 21 .4 24 .7 27 .6 24 .8 28 .9 Poorly 34 .0 33 .4 32 .1 31 .9 36 .9 33 .3 30 .2 In between 23 .6 26 .0 28 .7 25 .1 21 .5 25 .3 22 .5 Quite well 9 .2 7 .8 7 .6 10 .7 6 .7 5 .4 11 .2 Very well 2 .9 1 .3 0 .8 2 .9 2 .1 1 .4 2 .0 Don’t know 4 .8 6 .4 8 .6 4 .0 5 .0 9 .8 4 .7 High 21 .1 37 .3 26 .6 8 .3 2 .7 3 .3 Regarding the influence of the church or other religious institutions in social and political life, young people are convinced that it is low or not significant. Some 53.1 % claim that these institu­ tions do not have power over young people in the choices they make or in the life of the country as a whole. On the other hand, 24.1 % believe that such institutions have the right to more power, while only 10 % of the young people interviewed say that they have power over Albania’s social and political life. 32 % trust local government somewhat, while 19% do not trust it at all As regards income equality, about 65.2 % agree that the government should take an active ap­ proach. Young people’s desire to narrow the dif­ ferences in income and wealth between rich and the poor reflects a desire for more social justice in a polarised economic environment. This would mean a greater role for the state in policies re­ distributing wealth and income through fair and honest taxation. Some 39.7 % of young people accept the role of the state in the economy. It seems that young people believe that the state can play a signifi­ cant role. It should be noted that the strategies followed in Albania since the 1990s have led to policies that have significantly reduced the role and participation of the state in the economy. Around 88.4 % of respondents believe that the government should bear more responsibility to care for all citizens. Such a high percentage shows that young people see the responsibility of the state as very important, regardless of the main­ stream discourse that individuals in a free society must face challenges themselves. The paternalis­ tic role of the state is a general trend in countries that are originated from a tradition in which the state controlled everything. It is fuelled in Alba­ nia by the difficult social and economic transition, with high migration and economic uncertainty. 32 9. Political attitudes and participation

Youth Study Albania Fig. Political views among youth in Albania (in%) How much do you agree with the following statements? The number of governmentowned businesses and industries should be increased Completely disagree . The incomes of the poor and the .. rich must become more equal The government must take more responsibility to ensure care for all .. Mostly disagree In between .. .. Mostly agree . Completely agree . . . Political views Young people’s(lack of) desire to become in­ volved in politics remains unchanged. When asked whether they are ready to take a political position, 61.7 % stated that they have no interest. However, young people’s abstention from politi­ cal engagement and the reasons behind it should be further reviewed and evaluated. Trust in a country’s political institutions indicates the degree to which social stakeholders interact with them, regarding them as key elements of a democratic society that relies on the separation of three powers: legislative, executive and judicial. In that framework, the level of trust that young Albanians have in these institutions also reflects their performance in daily life. Trust in political institutions The national parliament, the most important in­ stitution in a representative democracy, enjoys lit­ tle support among those interviewed: 33.2 % do not trust it at all, while 26 % trust it only a little. Such a low level of the trust reflects the general sceptical tendency of young people in relation to political institutions. On the other hand, trust in the national govern­ ment is also relatively low: 34.5 % trust it some­ what, 22.0 % do not trust it at all and 21 % very little. Meanwhile, although young people are usu­ ally closer to civil society organisations 24.5 % of those interviewed do not trust them at all, while 23 % trust them only a little. The level of trust in political parties among young people is somewhat higher, at 40 %, but even that is not particularly high and it explains their lack of engagement in politics. Even local government, which is considered to have a more direct relationship with young peo­ ple because of such community-level services as schools and cultural and sports infrastructure, en­ joys a low level of trust among those interviewed: only 32.4 % trust it somewhat, while 19 % do not trust it at all. Meanwhile, respondents report a high level of trust in security institutions: for example, 41 % trust the military, although Albania abolished mandatory military service for young people years ago. Such a high level of trust might be linked to Albania’s NATO membership since 2009, which es­ tablished the image of an institution offering na­ tional security as part of the world’s most impor­ tant military alliance. 33 9. Political attitudes and participation

Youth Study Albania Fig. Trust in institutions among youth in Albania (in%) Overall, how much do you trust the entitites listed below? National Parliament Not at all 33 .2 A little 26 .0 Somewhat 25 .8 Quite a lot 8 .9 National Government 22 .9 21 .0 34 .5 12 .4 Civil society organizations 24 .5 23 .0 30 .2 10 .5 Political parties 40 .0 25 .7 22 .3 4 .7 Local governments 19 .5 23 .2 32 .4 15 .5 Army 10 .6 15 .5 28 .2 29 .0 Judiciary(courts) 20 .9 23 .2 33 .9 13 .4 Police 7 .9 12 .2 41 .7 26 .9 The religious institution you belong to 19 .1 12 .2 22 .5 19 .5 Media in your country 24 .2 23 .7 34 .9 13 .6 Trade unions 38 .2 19 .4 21 .1 7 .7 European Union 9 .1 9 .5 29 .3 31 .9 NATO 6 .5 11 .5 23 .9 35 .3 Fully 2 .4 4 .8 3 .7 2 .9 5 .4 12 .4 4 .6 8 .7 15 .9 2 .3 1 .5 17 .1 19 .7 Don't know 2 .0 2 .6 6 .0 2 .4 2 .7 3 .2 2 .9 1 .4 6 .7 0 .9 9 .9 2 .3 2 .3 Particularly interesting is the low level of trust in the courts: 20.9 % do not trust them at all, while 23.2 % have little trust. Although Albania has un­ dertaken radical reform of the justice system since 2016, there is too little confidence among young people in one of the most important branches of power in a democratic society. On the other hand, the police and military attract greater trust: 41 % of respondents trust the mil­ itary and 35.5 % trust the state police. Religious institutions are also relatively trusted: 35.4 % of young people report trusting these institutions very much. Regarding the media, the so-called“fourth es­ tate”, 47.9 % of young people state that they do not trust Albanian media at all or only a little. As for trade unions, despite the importance of their role in every society, they were found to have a low level of trust among young people: 38.2 % do not trust them at all, while 19.2 % trust them very little. By contrast, young Albanians clearly have a lot of confidence in the two most important in­ ternational organisations linked to Albania’s At­ lantic integration, NATO and the EU: 61.2 % trust the EU and 59.2 % trust NATO. 34 9. Political attitudes and participation

Youth Study Albania Fig. Opinions on democracy among youth in Albania (in%) How much do you agree/disagree with the following statements? Completely disagree Mostly disagree In between Mostly agree Overall democracy is a good form of government Under certain circumstances dictatorship is a better form of government than democracy We must have a strong leader who does not have to deal with Parliament or elections Democracy is always and under all circumstances preferable to any other form of government . . .. . . . .. . . .. . Young people should have more ... opportunities to talk about politics Democracy is the best possible system of government only when it provides .... economic security to the people I would sacri ce some civil liberties .... to ensure better living standards Sometimes civil liberties must be limited to better protect citizens .... from terrorism or other threats Completely agree . . . . . . . . Regarding their views on democracy and the val­ ues of the political system, the young people in­ terviewed in this survey present a consistent belief in democracy as a the right system of government: 72.2 % agree with the statement that democracy is the best form of government; 52.6 % of young people rule out dictatorship as the best form of government, even in certain circumstances, re­ flecting a change in their collective beliefs about democracy as a positive value; 40.3 % do not agree that a strong leader should lead the country, while 32 % agree. Meanwhile 62.2 % agree that democ­ racy is always preferable to other forms of govern­ ment. Given that all those interviewed were born after 1990 and did not live under the totalitarian system, their lack of doubt that democracy is the best and most apt form of government shows an established opinion. On the other hand, there are no parties in Albania that try to elicit communist nostalgia. Perhaps this reflects the fact that, as already mentioned, young people have no memory at all of the totalitarian period in Albania from 1945 to 1990. Opinions on democracy Some 77. 6 % of young people agree that they should have more opportunities to talk about politics. This seems to indicate some interest in participating in decision-making about policy is­ sues, both in general and with particular refer­ ence to young people, especially by the govern­ ment, parliament and political parties. The link between democracy as the best political system and economic security for citizens remains a basic principle among young people: 64.6 % of those sampled affirm that the economic security and democracy are interconnected. 35 9. Political attitudes and participation

Youth Study Albania Fig. Biggest issues in the next decade according to youth in Albania (in%) Which of the following do you think will be the biggest issues facing your country in the next decade? Male Gender ↓ Female Low Education ↓ Medium Climate change 30 .2 36 .2 35 .3 31 .8 Immigration 58 .5 54 .1 56 .1 54 .0 Inequality 47 .7 51 .6 44 .7 49 .9 Robotization and transformation of employment 28 .8 24 .3 28 .8 23 .6 Weakening of religious and traditional values 21 .8 24 .0 24 .9 18 .2 Weakening of democracy 27 .3 23 .0 21 .4 19 .4 Corruption 64 .9 63 .9 59 .4 64 .4 Terrorism 24 .3 21 .8 23 .6 24 .8 Unemployment 56 .7 64 .9 63 .6 51 .9 Skilled workforce leaving the country 54 .8 59 .8 53 .2 52 .1 Demographic decline 35 .5 33 .5 27 .6 32 .0 Quality of public services(health, education) 30 .6 37 .1 25 .6 34 .8 High 32 .8 58 .7 53 .2 27 .5 25 .8 33 .5 68 .2 21 .0 67 .1 65 .3 42 .0 39 .1 The importance of good economic living stand­ ards for all may pose dilemmas that demand the sacrifice of part of their freedoms for the sake of economic benefits. 73 % of young Albanians state that they have never participated in a demonstrat­ ion Some 50.9 % stated that they would agree to sac­ rifice a certain level of freedom for more econom­ ic security and 51.9 % would do so for more safe­ ty against the risk of terrorism. Life and economic security are very important, but conversely, there should be more awareness of what is at stake with regard to the exchange of freedoms for safety and the risk of authoritarianism. Although Tarrow(1998) and Goodwin and Jas­ pers(2009) see social movements as driven by young people, the young people we interviewed showed indifference and apathy towards polit­ ical activities: 74.6 % of respondents answered that they had never signed an online petition, while 72.8 % claim never to have participated in a demonstration. It can be seen that a large pro­ portion of young people exhibit the same behav­ iour in terms of being politically(in)active.They also report a low level of engagement in social activism: 60.3 % confirm that have not been in­ volved in the volunteer activities of civil society organisations. 36 9. Political attitudes and participation

Youth Study Albania Fig. Most important values for youth in Albania (in%) What are the three most important values(listed below) to you personally? Individual freedom 8.3 7.3 6.3 Security 17.2 20.7 19.4 5.7 Gender equality 6.8 st 6.4 nd 4.6 Social equality 4.4 rd 4.1 Employment 16.1 16.7 20.9 Economic welfare of citizens 13.5 15.5 16.2 Human rights 12.9 14.5 21.2 The rule of law 4.9 7.7 9.5 Democracy 4.3 6.9 6.0 In general, those interviewed affirm a lack of strong ethical opinions about products pro­ duced by exploiting the environment or child la­ bour. Furthermore, 71.5 % state that they would not stop buying such products. Some 67.9 % ad­ mit that they have not been involved in online political activities or social networks. In general, questions measuring young people’s motivation and political attitudes demonstrate indifference towards political action in all forms. Because of their age, they are constantly thinking about what challenges will face them in the near and more distant future. Those interviewed were asked what they consider the main concerns in re­ lation to the next 10 years. Their answers reflect four main issues: corruption, unemployment, im­ migration and skilled people leaving the country. Some 64 % note that corruption will be a ma­ jor concern, followed by unemployment at 57 %, skilled people leaving the country at 57.3 %, and immigration at 56.3 %. Their perception of cor­ ruption and unemployment as the key concerns reflects the lack of good governance, leading to unemployment, high emigration and the diminu­ tion of the skilled workforce. This is also fuelled by the impact of globalisation on the Albanian labour market, especially for people with special skills from developing countries. Some 49 % con­ sider inequality to be another concern for the next decade, 33.2 % mentioned climate change and 26.5 % the automation/transformation of the labour market as key concerns. It seems that young people have identified a clear framework of concerns, linked to public debates taking place in traditional and social media that could affect their individual, social and professional potential. 37 9. Political attitudes and participation

Youth Study Albania Fig. Youth in Albania’s views on the state of values in their country and in the EU (in%) In your view, how good or bad is the status of the following listed values in your country and in the EU? Democracy Albania EU Very bad 18 .4 4 .8 Bad 26 .9 3 .0 In betwen 33 .7 15 .1 Good 16 .8 31 .7 Very good 0 .9 39 .2 Albania 16 .7 The rule of law EU 1 .3 29 .0 1 .3 38 .9 9 .7 12 .7 39 .2 1 .6 42 .7 Albania 14 .5 Human rights EU 1 .8 23 .6 2 .6 35 .4 12 .6 20 .5 29 .3 2 .8 46 .6 Economic Albania 22 .1 welfare of citizens EU 3 .2 35 .7 1 .5 32 .1 10 .1 8 .6 45 .0 0 .3 36 .9 Albania 20 .2 Employment EU 1 .6 33 .1 1 .1 31 .5 10 .4 13 .3 36 .4 1 .4 45 .6 Albania 25 .3 Social Equality EU 2 .9 23 .7 2 .5 27 .9 16 .1 11 .4 30 .6 5 .3 38 .4 Albania 14 .1 Gender Equality EU 3 .9 24 .2 3 .1 32 .8 17 .6 12 .6 34 .4 10 .3 33 .0 Albania 17 .4 Security EU 1 .5 29 .3 2 .6 30 .0 14 .9 21 .0 45 .9 1 .7 28 .9 Albania 9 .6 Individual Freedom EU 1 .5 21 .3 3 .4 37 .2 15 .4 24 .0 28 .7 5 .4 46 .4 38 9. Political attitudes and participation

Youth Study Albania Fig. Views on joining the EU among youth in Albania (in%) In your opinion, should Albania join the EU? Yes No .. Gender → Male .. Female . Age → – .. – .. – . Education → Low .. Medium .. High Issues for the coming decade Albania has a rich electronic media market. Tel­ evision channels are categorised according to type of distribution and coverage: private na­ tional television stations; local television stations, for which there are 74 broadcast licenses; private satellite television stations; digital satellite tele­ vision stations; and cable television stations. The private national television stations currently op­ erating are TV Klan and Top Channel, and TVSH is the national public broadcaster. The young peo­ ple surveyed prefer receiving information from Top Channel TV and TV Klan rather than from the public broadcaster RTSH. Five parliamentary political parties contested the last elections in April 2021. Young people have a high level of disapproval of such parties: 47 % dislike them, ranging from 26.6 % who dislike the Socialist Party to 57.7 % who dislike the Freedom Party. Some 30 % of young people affirmed that they would not feel comfortable if they learned that a close friend supported any of the major par­ ties. The difference among the main parties is quite small and 27 % of those interviewed con­ firmed attitude in relation to friends who have joined the Socialist Party and 31.6 % for those of the Democratic Party. Some 60.9 % state that they are proud to be Al­ banian, but such strong feelings about their na­ tional identity also makes them reluctant to ac­ cept more immigrants. In this survey, 37.8 % of young people would not like Albania to accept more immigrants. However, 49 % affirm that im­ migrants who live in Albania must adapt to the social norms and customs of the country. Mean­ while, 57.95 % shared the view that a“real citizen” is someone born in Albania. 39 9. Political attitudes and participation

Youth Study Albania Fig. Self-identi cation as Albanian/European among youth in Albania (in%) How much do you see yourself as …? Not at all A little Moderately 0.4 1.9 8.2 7.2 Very much Completely 15.5 21.8 21.1 29.6 23.7 Albania EU 68.0 This view seems to represent a conservative standpoint in contrast to a multicultural attitude among those young people who consider them­ selves today to be more citizens of the world rath­ er than citizens of a particular country. 91 % of young Albanians hope that their country will become a member of the EU Ranking of values Young Albanians see joining the EU as the only op­ portunity for their country and culture to change, and 91 % hope that the country will become a member. Young people trust in Albania’s com­ mitment to EU membership and are not worried about public fatigue with regard to enlargement. Young people listed the following as their most important values: 21.2 % of young people value the human rights most highly, while 20 % favour security, 16.1 % employment and 13.5 % econom­ ic welfare. Important values The young people surveyed believe that the EU is a place in which values​​are recognised and imple­ mented. Among those interviewed, 44.5 % stated that democracy in Albania is not in a very good state in comparison with the EU; 70.5 % of young people think that democracy in the EU is very good. The same seems to apply in the case of the rule of law: 45.7 % of young people affirmed that in Albania it is very bad, while 81.9 % said that it is very good in the EU. Opinions about joining the EU According to Buckingham(2008) youth identi­ ty fluctuates in response to different variables. Young people in Albania do not seem to feel that their identity might come under threat from globalisation or a world of fewer restrictions in which free movement might impinge on nation­ al identity and everyone could choose to live any­ where. Some 68 % of Albanian young people feel completely Albanian, while only 23 % consider themselves European. This seems to indicate that they regard being European as linked to full Alba­ nian membership of the EU. 40 9. Political attitudes and participation

Trade union Albania has a weak trade union tradition and es­ pecially over the past few years the movement has been greatly diminished, in many respects because of the structure of Albania’s economy, which mainly comprises small and medium-sized businesses. Some 84 % of young people stated they are not a member of a trade union, while only 11.8 % would like to become part of such an organisation, if given the opportunity. Main takeaways 1.  53.6 % of respondents stated that they are not interested in politics. 2.  24.8 % stated that their interests are not reflected in politics, while 33.7 % noted that they are poorly represented. 3.  50 % said that they had voted in the last elections. 4.  65.2 % agreed that the government should intervene to increase income equality. 5.  88.4 % stated that the government should bear more responsibility for caring for all citizens. 6.  33.2 % do not trust the national parliament. 7.  41 % trust the state police. 8.  64.6 % noted that the values of economic security and democracy are closely interlinked. 9.  64 % answered that over the coming decades, corruption will be a major concern, followed by unemployment(57 %), skilled people leaving the country (57.3 % and immigration issues(56. %). Youth Study Albania 41 9. Political attitudes and participation

Youth Study Albania Conclusion Clinging to traditional values and outdated prejudices Family remains an important support system for Albanian youth, not just for economic reasons but also when it comes to developing healthy and positive relationships. Family plays an important role in all their decisions. Ironically, young people are not very motivated to start their own families, but once they marry, they see divorce as a last re­ sort when it comes to resolving marital problems. Besides emotional connection or physical attrac­ tion, young people factor in both personal and social aspects when choosing a partner. They are certainly interested in the benefits that a part­ ner’s education and economic status would bring. On the other hand, young people do not consid­ er religion and virginity to be particularly relevant. Young people in Albania pay particular atten­ tion to healthy eating and appearance. They also want to have a good education and a promising professional career. Young Albanians are focused on their personal needs, such as the natural drive to be independent and take responsibility, but they do not see themselves as active contributors to the social and political life of the country. Although they have serious concerns about em­ ployment opportunities, they are against social­ ly unacceptable behaviour such as bribery or us­ ing connections to build a career or obtain other benefits. Young people do not feel discriminated against because of their youth. Alongside that, they show signs of racism and prejudice toward LGBTQIA+ people. On the other hand, they are sensitive to­ ward the rights of people from lower econom­ ic classes. Their concepts of family and parenting are strongly based on Albanian traditional norms and values, rejecting the ideas of same-sex mar­ riage and even adoption. Perhaps surprisingly, young people’s perceptions of political leadership have not been influenced by the political context of the past three decades, dominated by men. They appear to be convinced that political skills are not gender-related. But al­ though they have a modern approach to poli­ tics, their concept of justice is still somehow in­ fluenced by specific customs when it comes to family matters. Education, employment and migration: the Bermuda triangle of the future Dissatisfaction with education and corruption continues to trouble Albanian young people. At the same time they are sceptical about the value of their qualifications in the labour market. 42 Conclusion

Youth Study Albania When it comes to their employment prospects, young people value expertise and experience but continue to be realistic about the prevalence of other factors, such as connections with those in power and party membership. Albanian young people can be divided into three distinct and roughly similar sized groups: remain, leave and those trying to decide. Albania has the second largest proportion of young people wish­ ing to leave the country in the region. Only half of those wishing to leave have made any sort of preparations, whereas a significant part of those who harbour such a desire do not plan to return home once they leave. Despite the prevalence of economic considerations that explain this de­ sire to emigrate, a deeper look reveals other fac­ tors, such as the low quality of education, the mismatch between level of education and the employment situation, as well as social concerns about the future. 64 % think that corruption will be the major concern for Albania in the next decade Many interlinked factors influence young peo­ ple’s perceptions, expectations and decisions in relation to their future, but the trifecta of education, employment and the decision to leave or not is the major one. Generally dissatisfied with the quality of education and discouraged about job prospects, not to mention persisting nepo­ tism and political favouritism in public adminis­ tration, young people often decide to leave. For Albania, at least in the medium term, migration is set to become the most serious challenge to so­ cial stability, economic development and demo­ cratic consolidation. Politics: a nexus of apathy, disappointment and distrust Young Albanians’ attitudes to politics are shaped by indifference and apathy. This is demonstrated by their lack of desire to become actively involved in politics through engagement in political par­ ties or other forms of political activity. It is also re­ flected in the low level of their knowledge about politics, which often turns them into passive vot­ ers with a sense of inertia in relation to the elec­ toral process rather than active citizens with a desire to change things by voting. They are disen­ gaged, disappointed and without trust in politics as a tool for change. Their trust in political insti­ tutions such as parliament, the government, po­ litical parties and even the judiciary is low. They consider democracy a good form of government, but on the other hand, corruption, unemploy­ ment and emigration, especially of skilled work­ ers are key concerns. Given that democracy’s remedies for such diseas­ es are voting and active political participation, they need to change their attitudes if they are to address the challenges ahead. Young people be­ lieve in the EU, however, and see it as the only possibility for real change. On the other hand, they feel proud of their national affiliation as Al­ banians and are aware that one day they may be­ come EU citizens. 43 Conclusion

Youth Study Albania References Aquilino, W.S.(2006): Family relationships and support systems in emerging adulthood, in: Arnett, J.J. and Tanner, J.L.(eds): Emerging Adults in America: Coming of Age in the 21st Century. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, pp. 193–217. DOI: 10.1037/11 381–008. Apostu, I.(2021): Attraction and Decision in Choosing a Spouse, in: Eastern-European Journal of Medical Humanities and Bioethics 5(1): 57–66. → doi.org/10.18662/eejmhb/5.1/33 Analiza e premtimeve politikave kombëtare për rininë dhe arsimin 2013–2021, Viti 2022, 26 faqe. Analizë e përgatitur nga ekipi dhe ekspertët e Qëndresës Qytetare me mbështetjen e Olaf Palme Center, Suedi. → qq.com.al/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Analiza-epremtimeve-elektorale-dhe-prioritetet-e-te-rinjve.pdf Albania Report(2021): Mapping of youth policies and identification of existing support and gaps in financing of youth actions in the Western Balkans → rcc.int/ youth_db/files/user/docs/1.1_Albania_Report.pdf Branje, S.J.T.; van Lieshout, C.F.M.; van Aken, M.A.G.; Haselager, G.J.T.(2004): Perceived support in sibling relationship and adolescent adjustment, in: Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 45(8): 1385–1396. DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.2004.00332.x. Campbell, R.; Greeson, M.R; Raja, S.; Bybee, D.(2008): The Co-Occurrence of Childhood Sexual Abuse, Adult Sexual Assault, Intimate Partner Violence, and Sexual Harassment: A Mediational Model of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Physical Health Outcomes, in: Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 76(2): 194–20. DOI: 10.1037/0022-006X.76.2.194. Cela, A., Kamberi, G. and Pici, E.(2015): Rinia shqiptare 2015: Ndryshim i ngadaltë, mbështetje te interneti dhe besim te BE. Friedrich Erbert Stiftung. → library.fes.de/pdf-files/bueros/albanien/12299.pdf CRCA: National Report: Youth in Albania, 2019 CRCA/ ECPAT Albania, the Albanian National Youth Network – ANYN and Child and Youth Policy Hub, with the support of the Albanian Coalition for Education-ACE, has presented the findings of the National Report “Youth in Albania 2019”. This report seeks to inform policymakers, state institutions and young people in particular on the situation of youth in Albania, identified issues and to recommend solutions that can improve the situation. → crca.al/en/young-people-in-albania-inpoverty-unemployed-and-ready-to-leave-the-country Dervishi, Z.; Sado, L.; Spaho, A.(2013): Family Structure and Functioning and the Implications for Child Wellbeing in Albania, in: Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies 2(9). E-ISSN 2281-4612. Balla, A.(2023): Emigration, depopulation and solution: the case of Albania, Albanian Institute for International Studies. BIRN(2023): Vanishing Foreign Workers Leave Albania’s Short-Staffed Businesses Frustrated, 1 May. → balkaninsight.com/2023/05/01/vanishing-foreignworkers-leave-albanias-short-staffed-businessesfrustrated Dean, D.G.(1965): Powerlessness and Political Apathy, in: Social Science 40(4): 208–213. → jstor.org/stable/41885108 European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights(2023): Being Black in the EU: Experience of People with African Descent. DOI:10.2811/327480. European Union(2021): Eurostat Regional Yearbook. DOI:10.2785/894358. Buckingham, D.(2008): Introducing Identity, in: Buckingham, D.(ed.): Youth, Identity, and Digital Media. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Series on Digital Media and Learning. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, pp. 1–24. DOI: 10.1162/dmal.9780262524834.001. Fibbi, R.; Midtbøen, A.H.; Simon, P.(2021): Theories of Discrimination, in: Migration and Discrimi­ nation. IMISCOE Research Series. Springer, Cham. → doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-67281-2_3 44 References

Youth Study Albania Guan, S.-S.A.; Fuligni, A.J.(2015): Changes in parent, sibling, and peer support during the transition to young adulthood, in: Journal of Research on Adolescence 26: 286–299. DOI: 10.1111/jora.12191. Goodwin, J.; Jaspers, J.(2009): The Social Movements Reader: Cases and Concepts. 2nd ed. Wiley-Blackwell. Haarr, R.N.; Dhamo,(2009): Domestic Violence in Albania: A National Population-Based Survey. National Institute of Statistics(INSTAT) Albania. INSTAT(2023): Labor Market Survey 2022, 13 July. → instat.gov.al/en/publications/books/2023/labourmarket-2022 Kamberi, G.; Cela, A.(2019): Youth Study in Albania 2018/1019. Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Albania. Kamberi, G.; Cela, A.; Pici, E.(2015): Youth Study in Albania 2015. Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Albania. Lindell, A.K.; Campione-Barr, N.(2017): Continuity and change in the family system across the transition from adolescence to emerging adulthood, in: Marriage Family Review 53: 388–416. DOI: 10.1080/01494929.2016.1184212. Little, W.(2016): Marriage and Family in Introduction to Sociology, 2nd edition. → opentextbc.ca/ introductiontosociology2ndedition/front-matter/ about-the-book International Republican Institute(2024): WB Regional Poll(Feb-March 2024)(Filters: Albania, General Outlook). → iri.org/resources/western-balkans-regional-pollfebruary-march-2024-full Jano, D.(2008): From‘Balkanization’ to‘Europeanization’: The Stages of Western Balkans Complex Transformations, in: L’Europe en Formation 3(349-350): 55–69. DOI: 10.3917/eufor.349.005. Menard, R.(2015): Analysing Social Values in Identification; A Framework for Research on the Representation and Implementation of Values: Analysing Social Values in Identification, in: Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour 46(2). DOI: 10.1111/jtsb.12087. Mihandoost, F.; Babajanian, B.(2016): The Rights of Minorities in International Law, in: Journal of Politics and Law 9(6). DOI: 10.5539/jpl.v9n6p15. Jasini, K.(2024): The regime of inequality affecting the Roma community in Albania, in: Academicus International Scientific Journal 14(9). DP13193-DP13194 28-2010. Johnson, B.T.; Martinez-Berman, L.; Curley, C.M.(2022): Formation of Attitudes: How People(Wittingly or Unwittingly) Form Their Viewpoints, in: Psychology. → doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190236557.013.812 Kamberi, G.; Cela, A.(2019): Youth Study in Albania 2018/1019. Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung. → library.fes.de/pdf-files/id-moe/15261.pdf Keating, A.; Melis, G.(2022): Youth Attitudes Toward their Future: The Role of Resources, Agency and Individualism in UK, in: Journal of Applied Youth Studies 5(1). DOI: 10.1007/s43151-021-00061-5. Kuci, I.,(2023): Voices of Youth: Gender Equality and Social Cohesion in Western Balkans. Annex I, Albania. UN, Women, Albania. → albania.unwomen.org/sites/ default/files/2023-11/annex_albania.pdf OECD(2022): Multi-dimensional Review of the Western Balkans. → doi.org/10.1787/8824c5db-en Merriam, C.; Gosnell, H.(1925) Non-voting: causes and methods of control, in: The University of Chicago Press Social Forces 3(2)(January): 369–370. → doi.org/10.2307/3005316 Monitor(2023): Rezultatet e PISA 2022, përkeqësohen aftësitë e nxënësve 15-vjeçarë, 5 December. → monitor.al/rezultatet-e-pisa-2022-perkeqesohenaftesite-e-nxenesve-15-vjecare-ne-matematikeshkence-dhe-lexim-ne-rajon-le-pas-vetem-kosoven Monitor(2024): Pse nuk“duan” të punojnë të rinjtë?! Papunësia afatgjatë më 2023 arriti nivelin më të lartë që nga 2017”, 18 April. → monitor.al/pse-nuk-duante-punojne-te-rinjte-papunesia-afatgjate-me-2023arriti-nivelin-me-te-larte-qe-nga-2017 45 References

Youth Study Albania National Institute of Statistics(INSTAT)(2019): Violence Against Woman and Girls in Albania. → eca.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Field Office Albania/Attachments/Publications/2019/05/ print_brief_eng_24.pdf National Institute of Statistics(INSTAT)(2024): The population of Albania. →instat.gov.al/en/statisticalliteracy/the-population-of-albania/ Ora News(2023): Most young people in Albania and the region seek higher education. → oranews.tv/ ekonomi/anketa-e-be-82-e-te-rinjve-shqiptare-duanstudimet-e-larta-shumica-edhe--i1149896?fbclid= IwAR22VSCXKyAB_3XcwunNGaecScf-RvPpm4L1Z_ sRs0OPqaZe1u9BPu9LVuM Panahi, L.N.; Modarres, M.; Areshtanab, H.N.(2023): Problems between parents and adolescents’ relationships: a qualitative study, in: Journal of Psychiatric Nursing 14(2): 94 ם 102. DOI: 10.14744/phd.2022.38159. Partners Albania(2024): Position of the NEET Youth in Albania, 2 April. → partnersalbania.org/publication/ position-of-the-neet-youth-in-albania Poletta, F.; Jaspers, J.(2001): Collective Identity and Social Movements, in: Annual Review of Sociology 27: 283–305. →jstor.org/stable/2678623 Plani Kombëtar i Veprimit për Rininë 2015-2020, Viti 2020, 101 faqe. → arsimi.gov.al/wp-content/ uploads/2018/09/plani-kombetar-i-veprimit-perrinine-2015-2020_Shqip.pdf Sadiku, M.(2014): A Tradition of Honour, Hospitality and Blood Feuds: Exploring Kanon Customary Law in Contemporary Albania, in: Balkan Social Science Review 3: 93–115. → js.ugd.edu.mk/index.php/BSSR/ issue/view/61 Sherifaj, E.(2023): Albanian Education System and Measures to Prevent Brain Drain. Partners Albania for Change and Development. → partnersalbania.org/ wp-content/uploads/2023/06/alb-educ-syst-measeurprevent-brain-drain.pdf. Tarrow, S.(1998): Power in Movement: Social Movements and Contentious Politics, 2nd ed. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. UNICEF(2021): Situation analysis of children and adolescent in Albania → unicef.org/albania/media/ 4071/file/Situation%20Analysis%20of%20Children%20 and%20Adolescents%20in%20Albania.pdf Vykopalova, H.(2014): Economic development and individual and social behaviour, in: Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences 109: 1116–1119. → sciencedirect.com. Western Balkans Democracy Initiative(2022): National Survey: Young People and Politics in Albania, Year 2019, Western Balkans Democracy Initiative, Westminster Foundation for Democracy Qëndresa Qytetare. → wfd.org/sites/default/files/2022-06/nationalsurvey_young-people-and-politics-in-albania-final.pdf. 46 References

Endnotes 1 Created by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development(OECD), PISA exams test the skills and knowledge of 15-year-old students in mathematics, reading and science. More info at → oecd.org/en/about/programmes/pisa.html 2 The NEET rate according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development(OECD) is defined as the share of young people who are not in employment, education, or training(NEET), as a percentage of the total number of young people in the corresponding age group. Youth Study Albania 47 Endnotes

Figures 13 Fig. 1  Views on corruption in education among youth in Albania(in%) 13 Fig. 2  Time spent online among youth in Albania(in%) 15 Fig. 3  Current position and profession of youth in Albania(in%) 16 Fig. 4  Important factors for finding a job according to youth in Albania(in%) 18 Fig. 5  Desire to emigrate among youth in Albania(in%) 19 Fig. 6  Measures taken to emigrate by youth in Albania(in%) 22 Fig. 7  Important factors when choosing a partner for youth in Albania(in%) 24 Fig. 8  Importance of values among youth in Albania(in%) 26 Fig. 9  Fears and concerns of youth in Albania(in%) 27 Fig. 10  Experience of discrimination among youth in Albania(in%) 28 Fig. 11  Societal views among youth in Albania(in%) 31 Fig. 12  Interest in politics among youth in Albania(in%) 32 Fig. 13  Youth in Albania’s opinion on their represenatation in politics(in%) 33 Fig. 14  Political views among youth in Albania(in%) Youth Study Albania 34 Fig. 15  Trust in institutions among youth in Albania(in%) 35 Fig. 16  Opinions on democracy among youth in Albania(in%) 36 Fig. 17  Biggest issues in the next decade according to youth in Albania(in%) 37 Fig. 18  Most important values for youth in Albania(in%) 38 Fig. 19  Youth in Albania’s views on the state of values in their country and in the EU(in%) 39 Fig. 20  Views on joining the EU among youth in Albania(in%) 40 Fig. 21  Self-identification as Albanian/ European among youth in Albania(in%) 48 Figures

Youth Study Albania About the Authors Alba Çela is the Executive Director of the Albanian Institute for International Studies(AIIS) and a member of the WB Strategy Group. She was a co-author of the previous FES Youth Studies in Albania in 2011, 2015 and 2018/2019. Geron Kamberi is currently Senior Associate Researcher at the Centre for the Study of Democracy and Governance(CSDG) and has extensive experience working for different international organisations and Albanian think tanks in the area of social development, education and EU integration. He holds an MA in European Politics from Sussex’s European Institute and has been a co-author of the Albanian Youth Survey since 2015. Klodian Gega is a psychologist with extensive experience in both clinical practice and research. He is the author of numerous publications, including guidelines and research studies in clinical psychology and social psychology. 49 About the Authors

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