A third of young Britons would prefer authoritarianism over democracy in the UK, a new poll has found.
Support for authoritarianism is strongest among young Reform UK voters with half preferring a leader who could make decisions quickly ‘even at the cost of some democratic freedoms’.
There are ‘shocking levels of disillusionment’ among 18 to 30-year-olds with less than half expressing support for the current democratic system, according to the survey for the Adam Smith Institute.
The think tank said the findings show that many young people ‘no longer believe democracy is working’ and would prefer a system where leaders ‘can act without checks and balances’.
Researchers also warn that Labour’s plan to give the vote to 16-year-olds could backfire and ‘raises serious questions about whether younger voters support the system they’re being invited to join’.
