17 April 2026

Photo: FEPS Europe

On 17-18 April 2026 Gefjon Off particiapted in the inaugural Global Progressive Mobilisation (GPM) Venue in Barcelona, Spain. The  Global Progressive Mobilisation(GPM) is a common space, which brings together political leaders, activists, thinkers and representatives of Social Democratic parties and movements from all continents. 

As part of the panel discussion "Gender, politics, and the understanding of equality among Generation Z" with Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Madrid and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Vienna, , Gefjon Off, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Hamburg (co-author of the Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS) policy study) presented the policy study "EQUALIZE GENDER DIFFERENCES IN POLITICAL OPINION AND VOTING AMONG GENERATION Z".

The study’s results were then discussed together with:

• Lina Gálvez Muñoz, S&D Member of the European Parliament; Chair, Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM); President of the FEPS Scientific Council
• Elena Avramovska, Senior Researcher for Democracy, Society and Youth, Friedrich Ebert Foundation (editor of FEPS Policy Study)
• Irja Vaateri, Secretary General of Young European Socialists (YES)
• Philipp Türmer, Federal Chair of the Young Socialists (Jusos) in the SPD

The Panel was moderated by Matteo Dressler, FEPS Policy Analyst on Democracy and Participation. 

Event summary:

Young men are moving right, young women are moving left. This is a familiar claim in emerging academic analysis and media narratives about Generation Z’s political attitudes and voting behaviour. During the GPM, this FEPS event took that assumption as a starting point for a discussion of what actually holds up, what doesn’t, and why, when it comes to Gen Z’s “gender divide”. Presenting an analysis of recent European Social Survey data, alongside detailed insights from 17 focus groups with young people in five countries (Germany, Greece, Poland, Spain, Sweden), the FEPS-led Project EqualiZe added nuance to the discussion. The project’s findings show clear gender differences in some domains (notably left–right orientation and attitudes to gender equality), but far less divergence in others (including migration and general views on democracy). Building on these findings, and in conversation with participants, the side event explored how young people themselves make sense of these differences, and what may help explain them. It also engaged a crucial question: how should progressives frame gender equality and feminism when speaking with younger generations, not only in Europe, but beyond, and what does this mean for strengthening democratic trust and participation across genders? For this critical debate, the event brought together EqualiZe researchers, leading policymakers working on gender equality and young progressive activists.

Watch the event and an excerpt of the panel discussion.