Shared Instability, Divergent Interpretations Explaining Sweden’s Gen Z Gender Divide

Drawing on European Social Survey data from across the EU and beyond, as well as focus groups with young people in Germany, Greece, Poland, Spain and Sweden, the Equalize study by the FEPS Foundation for European Progressive Studies, in partnership with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation and with the financial support of the European Parliament, offers a more nuanced answer. It shows that gender differences among young Europeans are real, but vary considerably across countries and issues.

EqualiZe - Foundation for European Progressive Studies

Despite being one of the world’s most gender‑equal countries, Sweden exhibits one of Europe’s sharpest gender divides among Generation Z. Sweden presents a paradox: it is the European Union’s top‑ranked country for gender equality, yet it exhibits one of Europe’s steepest Gen Z gender divides.

The emergence of the Gen Z gender divide is rooted in shared experiences of instability within the Swedish welfare state, including housing shortages and affordability, labour‑market precarity, economic issues, crime, and social segregation. The findings show how young women and men in Sweden interpret shared experiences of instability differently, leading them to support different political solutions. A general pattern is that while all participants highlight similar issues, their interpretations of these issues are politically divided along gendered lines.

For policymakers, understanding the dynamics driving Sweden’s Gen Z gender divide is crucial in developing more effective and inclusive policy responses.

To find out more, read this case study about Sweden’s Generation Z gender divide, the conclusions and recommendations written by Megan Rådesjö, PhD, a sociologist specialising in feminist sociology and contemporary critical theory at the University of Gothenburg.

European Policy Study:
EQUALIZE GENDER DIFFERENCES IN POLITICAL OPINION AND VOTING AMONG GENERATION Z [.pdf]

Case study Sweden:
Shared instability, divergent interpretations: Explaining Sweden’s Gen Z gender divide [.pdf] by Megan Rådesjö

For further country studies, see the FEPS Project page here.