Youth in Belarus: Outlook on Life and Political Attitudes

ZOiS REPORT No. 5 / 2019 · October 2019 YOUTH IN BELARUS: OUTLOOK ON LIFE AND POLITICAL ATTITUDES Félix Krawatzek ZOiS Report 5 / 2019 Youth in Belarus 2 Content 02 ___ Executive summary 04 ___ Introduction 06 ___ Living conditions, education, and income 08 ___ Religion and language 10 ___ Learning about politics and the world 12 ___ Political interest and engagement 12 ______ Interest in and knowledge of politics 14 ______ Formal politics: voting behaviour 16 ______ Informal politics: knowledge of and participation in protests 17 ______ Political youth organisations: not convinced 17 ___ Assessing developments in Belarus 17 ______ A negative view on their country’s path 19 ______ Economic and political concerns 20 ______ Trust in people and institutions 22 ___ Belarus and the world 22 ______ Foreign policy orientation 23 ______ Travel experience 24 ______ Migration intentions 25 ___ Values and ideas of community 27 ___ Conclusion 27 ___ Imprint Executive summary Belarus is approaching a cycle of elections that promise to be more relevant in the long term than the predictable votes of the past. There is potential for significant shifts in the country because the Belarusian leadership disagrees over further integration with Moscow, and after twenty-five years of rule by president Alexander Lukashenko, there is speculation about an impending change of power. In February 2019, ZOiS conducted a survey that provides rare insights into the political attitudes of Belarusians aged between 16 and 34, their political engagement, and their views on and experiences with other countries in the run-up to the parliamentary vote on 17 November 2019 and the presidential election due by August 2020 at the latest. The main findings are as follows: – Nearly 40 per cent of young Belarusians are interested in politics; 50 per cent want to participate in the parliamentary election this autumn, and 70 per cent want to take part in the presidential election next year. – Half of young people in Belarus know about protests in their country, and of those, 3 per cent participated in a protest in the last twelve months. ZOiS Report 5 / 2019 Youth in Belarus 3 – Trust in political and public institutions varies considerably: among the younger generation, trust in the media and the parliament is particularly low; the president and the church receive mixed scores; and nongovernmental organisations (NGOs), the army, and the police are the most trusted institutions. – Two-thirds of young Belarusians self-identify as Russian Orthodox, but more than 80 per cent attend church only on important religious holidays, if at all. – One-third of young people in Belarus would like to speak more Belarusian in public; 40 per cent would not, and another 25 per cent do not care either way. For most young Belarusians, the issue of language is not salient for their country’s further development. Russian remains by far the commonest spontaneously spoken language. – Online sources are the main tool for young people to obtain political information, with VKontakte (VK.com) being the most prominent outlet. YouTube is also frequently consulted, as is the independent news portal TUT. BY. Alongside these outlets, young Belarusians continue to consult state-controlled conventional media, often as a second source of information. – More than 50 per cent of young Belarusians think that things have deteriorated over the last decade. Less than 20 per cent believe that the situation has improved. – Expectations of the government centre on economic issues. Only around 10 per cent of people mention political priorities such as ensuring equal opportunities. – With regard to the country’s foreign policy, more than one-third of young people prioritise a closer relationship with Russia. Slightly less than onethird say Belarus should have closer relations with other European countries, most prominently Poland and Germany. – Forty per cent of young Belarusians see closer relations with the European Union (EU) even at the expense of harming relations with Russia as desirable. Less than 25 per cent wish for a union with Russia. – Belarusians have extensive travel and work experiences in other regions of Belarus; but international mobility remains limited to half of young people. International mobility, including for work and travel, centres on EU countries, Russia, and Ukraine. – A clear majority of young Belarusians are contemplating migration: twothirds would like to leave their place of residence. EU countries are the most desired destinations, favoured by 38 per cent, while Russia and the United States (US) are preferred by slightly more than 10 per cent each. ZOiS Report 5 / 2019 Youth in Belarus 4 Introduction It is notoriously difficult to gain reliable information about Belarusian society and politics. The political and academic debate therefore confronts fundamental problems when attempts are made to analyse the country’s political and social tendencies. The ZOiS survey conducted in February 2019 provides novel insights into the political attitudes of young Belarusians, their political engagement, and their views on and experiences with other countries. The survey comes at a potentially critical moment in the country’s development. Belarus is approaching a cycle of elections, with a parliamentary vote on 17 November 2019 and the next presidential election due by August 2020 at the latest. These upcoming elections should send important signals about the country’s future. This is particularly so because the Belarusian leadership disagrees over further integration with Moscow, and after twenty-five years of Lukashenko’s rule, there is speculation about a change of power. Such a profound change will happen neither in the very near future nor as a direct response to the elections, but the political system and society are evolving, and it is in this context that the elections matter, as do the views of young people. As far as relations with Moscow are concerned, the implications of the 1999 Treaty on the Creation of a Union State of Russia and Belarus have become unclear. The treaty foresaw deep integration between the two countries, but currently there is primarily an immigration and customs union, with FIGURE 1 Cities included in the survey Source: ZOiS Population of between 300,000 and 500,000 Population of nearly 2 million Brest Minsk Grodno Mogilev Gomel Vitebsk ZOiS Report 5 / 2019 Youth in Belarus 5 discussions limited to potential harmonisation of markets and laws. The Russian side seems ready to move on, whereas Lukashenko has repeatedly resisted attempts at further integration. This distance comes despite mounting economic pressure from increased oil prices and restrictions on Belarusian agricultural exports. What do young Belarusians think politically, and what do they make of their country’s political situation? This survey was carried out in cooperation with R-Research between 15 and 27 February 2019 among 2,000 respondents across Belarus.1 We surveyed people aged 16 – 34 living in the country’s major urban areas. Respondents came from Minsk, with a population of nearly 2 million, as well as the regional hubs of Brest, Gomel, Grodno, Mogilev, and Vitebsk, each with a population of between 300,000 and 500,000.2 FIGURE 1 In addition to quotas for place of residence, we fixed quotas for gender and age, to mirror Belarus’s official demographic structure. Overall, Belarusians in the age cohort surveyed here represent a little more than 2.3 million people, out of a total population of 9.5 million. FIGURE 2 The survey was conducted online, a format that was chosen as it fits the communication practices of the younger generation, gives respondents control 1 The author gratefully acknowledges the research assistance provided by Ana Karalashvili. 2 For the purpose of readability, and following general academic practice, this report uses the transliteration from the Russian spellings of Belarusian names. FIGURE 2 Population by sex and age in 2018 Source: belstat.gov.by Female Male Age Males Females Females 050,658 48,024 -48,024 157,251 54,042 -54,042 261,611 57,941 -57,941 361,892 58,022 -58,022 461,568 57,841 -57,841 560,898 57,398 -57,398 658,638 55,391 -55,391 756,378 53,229 -53,229 856,165 52,832 -52,832 955,712 52,420 -52,420 10 53,855 50,776 -50,776 11 50,525 47,775 -47,775 12 47,250 45,018 -45,018 13 45,477 43,345 -43,345 14 44,818 42,462 -42,462 15 45,016 42,644 -42,644 16 45,650 43,175 -43,175 17 46,537 44,192 -44,192 18 47,248 44,900 -44,900 19 47,630 44,734 -44,734 20 46,947 44,166 -44,166 21 47,416 44,950 -44,950 22 50,669 47,674 -47,674 23 54,699 51,326 -51,326 24 58,160 55,270 -55,270 25 62,916 60,829 -60,829 26 67,685 65,353 -65,353 27 71,065 67,444 -67,444 28 74,777 71,022 -71,022 29 78,489 74,667 -74,667 30 79,532 75,706 -75,706 31 80,132 76,564 -76,564 32 79,924 76,851 -76,851 33 78,669 76,401 -76,401 34 79,282 77,470 -77,470 35 76,264 75,142 -75,142 36 71,988 71,412 -71,412 37 70,600 70,366 -70,366 38 69,434 69,487 -69,487 39 67,627 68,651 -68,651 40 65,836 67,910 -67,910 41 64,840 67,158 -67,158 42 64,309 67,212 -67,212 43 63,367 67,176 -67,176 44 62,137 66,566 -66,566 45 61,919 67,003 -67,003 46 61,938 67,815 -67,815 47 61,047 67,525 -67,525 48 59,663 66,025 -66,025 49 58,811 65,476 -65,476 100,000 80,000 60,000 40,000 20,000 0 20,000 40,000 60,000 80,000 100,000 Popula8onbysexandagein2018 Females Males Source: National statistical committee of The Republic of Belarus 60 70 30 40 10 0 50 20 Age Males Females Females 050,658 48,024 -48,024 157,251 54,042 -54,042 261,611 57,941 -57,941 361,892 58,022 -58,022 461,568 57,841 -57,841 560,898 57,398 -57,398 658,638 55,391 -55,391 756,378 53,229 -53,229 856,165 52,832 -52,832 955,712 52,420 -52,420 10 53,855 50,776 -50,776 11 50,525 47,775 -47,775 12 47,250 45,018 -45,018 13 45,477 43,345 -43,345 14 44,818 42,462 -42,462 15 45,016 42,644 -42,644 16 45,650 43,175 -43,175 17 46,537 44,192 -44,192 18 47,248 44,900 -44,900 19 47,630 44,734 -44,734 20 46,947 44,166 -44,166 21 47,416 44,950 -44,950 22 50,669 47,674 -47,674 23 54,699 51,326 -51,326 24 58,160 55,270 -55,270 25 62,916 60,829 -60,829 26 67,685 65,353 -65,353 27 71,065 67,444 -67,444 28 74,777 71,022 -71,022 29 78,489 74,667 -74,667 30 79,532 75,706 -75,706 31 80,132 76,564 -76,564 32 79,924 76,851 -76,851 33 78,669 76,401 -76,401 34 79,282 77,470 -77,470 35 76,264 75,142 -75,142 36 71,988 71,412 -71,412 37 70,600 70,366 -70,366 38 69,434 69,487 -69,487 39 67,627 68,651 -68,651 40 65,836 67,910 -67,910 41 64,840 67,158 -67,158 42 64,309 67,212 -67,212 43 63,367 67,176 -67,176 44 62,137 66,566 -66,566 45 61,919 67,003 -67,003 46 61,938 67,815 -67,815 47 61,047 67,525 -67,525 48 59,663 66,025 -66,025 49 58,811 65,476 -65,476 100,000 80,000 60,000 40,000 20,000 0 20,000 40,000 60,000 80,000 100,000 Popula8onbysexandagein2018 Females Males Source: National statistical committee of The Republic of Belarus ZOiS Report 5 / 2019 Youth in Belarus 6 over the process, conveys greater anonymity than face-to-face interviews, and thereby limits social desirability bias — the psychological tendency of interviewees to adjust to the interviewers’ real or perceived expectations. Living conditions, education, and income Asked about their professional activities in the week before the survey, 56 per cent of respondents indicated that they were working full time. Eighteen per cent of those questioned were studying and 14 per cent said they looked after their family. FIGURE 3 Three per cent stated that they were unemployed. The official unemployment rate of Belarus is 0.3 per cent,3 a number that includes only those who have decided to register as unemployed in a context of low unemployment benefits. Data from the World Bank, by contrast, indicate that youth unemployment (among those aged 15 – 24) is nearing 10 per cent4 and overall unemployment is slightly below 6 per cent.5 Unemployment was higher among female respondents and those with children. The young people surveyed were predominantly married or single, and only around 10 per cent were cohabiting, reflecting the country’s traditional household structure. Older respondents, those with children, and women were more likely to live with a partner. Around 40 per cent of the sample had children, primarily people older than 25 and those who self-identified as religious. Respondents with children also tended to have a lower level of education. Forty-four per cent of the sample had completed university education, and around 40 per cent had finished secondary education. The better educated were more likely to live in Minsk, more likely to be female, and less likely to have children. Twenty-eight per cent of the young people described the material position of their household as one in which they could afford household appliances but not, for instance, a car. A little more than 40 per cent stated they had enough money for clothing and shoes but not enough to buy a large household appliance. On a seven-point scale of economic self-perception, with one being the lowest value, the average was 3.91. FIGURE 4 Perceptions of household income are primarily linked to place of residence: respondents living in Minsk were significantly more likely to report higher income levels. For context, Belarus experienced a period of economic growth after the late 1990s, accompanied however by huge rates of inflation; the country then entered a period of recession in 2015 – 16. After 2017, the situation stabilised 3 ‘Uroven’ofitsial’nozaregistrirovannoibezrabotitsynakonetsperioda’,Natsional’nyistatisticheskii komitet Respubliki Belarus’, accessed 8 October 2019, http://dataportal.belstat. gov.by/Indicators/Preview?key=153139. 4 ‘Youth Unemployment Rate for Belarus’, Economic Research, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, 3 May 2019, https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/SLUEM1524ZSBLR. 5 ‘Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate)’, World Bank, April 2019, https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS?locations=BY. ZOiS Report 5 / 2019 Youth in Belarus 7 FIGURE 3 Employment status (as of last week) FIGURE 4 Self-reported household wealth Source: ZOiS Source: ZOiS n = 1,912 n = 1,960 again and gross domestic product (GDP) grew at 2.5 per cent,6 leading to increased household consumption and a rise in real wages.7 Growth in the past has enabled a decline in the number of households below the poverty line, but inflation remains high, nearing 5 per cent in 2018.8 6 ‘GDP growth (annual %)’, World Bank, accessed 12 September 2019, https://data.worldbank. org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG?locations=BY. 7 ‘Belarus Economic Update — Fall 2018’, World Bank, 6 November 2018, https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/belarus/publication/economic-update-fall-2018. 8 ‘DevelopmentofinflationratesinBelarus’,WorldData,accessed12September2019, https://www.worlddata.info/europe/belarus/inflation-rates.php. Var1 Freq 1 Workingfulltime 1066 55.8% 2 Workingparttime 125 6.5% 3 Unemployedandlookingforwork 62 3.2% 4 Fulltimestudent 354 18.5% 5 Long-termsickordisabled 7 0.4% 6 Lookingafterthehomeorfamily 275 14.4% 7 Notinpaidworkforanotherreason 23 1.2% 1912 55.8% 6.5% 3.2% 18.5% 0.4% 14.4% 1.2% Working full time Working part time Unemployed and looking for work Full time student Long-term sick or disabled Looking after the home or family Not in paid work for another reason Employment Status Datenreihe1 Source: ZOiS n=1,912  Quelle: Quelle: ZOiS  Var1 Freq 1 Thereisnotenoughmoney evenforfood 43 2.2% 2 Wehaveenoughmoneyonlyforthemostnecessarythings 213 10.9% 3 Thereisenoughmoneyforfood,butnotenoughtobuyclothingandshoes 318 16.2% 4 Thereisenoughmoneyforclothingandshoes,butnotenoughtobuyalargehouseholdappliance 839 42.8% 5 Thereisenoughmoneyforhouseholdappliances,butwecannotbuyanewcar 424 21.6% 6 Thereisenoughmoneyforanewcar,butwecannotpermitourselvestobuyanapartmentorhouse 104 5.3% 7 Weexperiencenomaterialdifficulties,ifneededwecouldacquireanapartmentorhouse 19 1.0% 8 98 0 9 99 0 1960 2.2% 10.9% 16.2% 42.8% 21.6% 5.3% 1.0% There is not enough money even for food We have enough money only for the most necessary things There is enough money for food, but not enough to buy clothing and shoes There is enough money for clothing and shoes, but not enough to buy a large household appliance There is enough money for household appliances, but we cannot buy a new car There is enough money for a new car, but we cannot permit ourselves to buy an apartment or house We experience no material difficulties, if needed we could acquire an apartment or house Self-reported household wealth Source: ZOiS Quelle: ZOiS  55.8% 6.5% 3.2% 18.5% 0.4% 14.4% 1.2% Working full time Working part time Unemployed and looking for work Full time student Long-term sick or disabled Looking after the home or family Not in paid work for another reason Employment Status Datenreihe1 Source: ZOiS n=1,912  Quelle: Quelle: ZOiS  ZOiS Report 5 / 2019 Youth in Belarus 8 Religion and language After the significant destruction of church life during the Soviet period, Belarusians experienced religious liberalisation after the breakup of the Soviet Union. Traditionally, the territory of what is today Belarus has held an important bridging function between the Orthodox and the Catholic or Protestant regions of Europe. In the 1990s, smaller denominations, including evangelical groups, also regained visibility and began to cooperate on certain issues with the Orthodox and Catholic communities. Two-thirds of the survey respondents indicated that they were Orthodox, 6 per cent said that they were Catholic, and 21 per cent said they followed no religion. FIGURE 5 An important question is what the practical implications of that religious identity are. We therefore asked those respondents who declared a religious affiliation how frequently they visited their respective places of worship. The data show a clear tendency for young Belarusians to attend church only on the most important religious holidays (53 per cent) or almost never (32 per cent). Largely self-identifying as Orthodox, young people do not tend to follow religious practices on a regular basis. For comparison, in a survey conducted in October 2018 by the Pew Research Center, 20 per cent of Belarusians overall indicated that religion was very important in their lives, a similar value to those recorded in Ukraine or Bulgaria. That survey also found that around one-third of Belarusians attend religious services at least monthly.9 In this regard, young people in Belarus are significantly less religious than the general population. 9 ‘How religious is your country?’, Pew Research Center, 5 December 2018, https://www. pewresearch.org/interactives/how-religious-is-your-country/. FIGURE 5 Religious affiliation Source: ZOiS n = 1,955 Var1 Freq 1 Orthodox 1337 68.4% 2 RomanCatholic 122 6.2% 3 Protestant 24 1.2% 4 Muslim 11 0.6% 5 Jewish 4 0.2% 6 Other 37 1.9% 7 Noreligion 420 21.5% 1955 100.0% 68.4% 6.2% 1.2% 0.6% 0.2% 1.9% 21.5% Orthodox Roman Catholic Protestant Muslim Jewish Other No religion Religious Affiliation Datenreihe1 Source: ZOiS  n=1,955 Source: ZOiS Quelle: Quelle: ZOiS  55.8% 6.5% 3.2% 18.5% 0.4% 14.4% Working full time Working part time Unemployed and looking for work Full time student Long-term sick or disabled Looking after the home or family Employment Status Young people in Belarus self-identify as Russian Orthodox but rarely attend a place of worship. ZOiS Report 5 / 2019 Youth in Belarus 9 Our data showed no difference in religiosity by age or gender. However, those who worshipped more frequently were statistically more likely to have voted for Lukashenko in the 2015 presidential election. One noteworthy aspect of recent changes in the relations between Belarus and Russia is the evolving role of the Belarusian language. In 2014, the Belarusian Independent Institute of Socio-Economic and Political Studies (IISEPS) argued that Belarusian had lost its importance as a sign of national identity and its use had been in steady decline throughout the post-Soviet period.10 However, Lukashenko now encourages intellectuals and writers to promote national culture and Belarusian historical values. Legally, both languages have equal status, although Belarusian has long been stigmatised — Lukashenko, for instance, first spoke Belarusian in public only in 2014. This shift in cultural policy accelerated after the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014. Since then, state officials have started to place an emphasis on medieval Belarusian history, which now figures prominently in political discourse. This emphasis seems to be gradually reflected in young people’s perceptions of history. The state-controlled Institute of Sociology identified the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which existed from the thirteenth century to 1795, as the most interesting period of Belarusian history for young people.11 Nevertheless, the use of the Belarusian language has declined significantly since the collapse of the Soviet Union. In our survey, we asked what language(s) respondents considered to be their native language. Russian was the most frequent response, mentioned by 44 per cent of young Belarusians. Another 37 per cent stated that they considered both Belarusian and Russian to be their mother tongues, which is the country’s official language policy. FIGURE 6 We also enquired whether young people would like to speak more Belarusian. Although around one-third expressed such a desire, 40 per cent did not and another 25 per cent did not care either way. For most young Belarusians, language is therefore not an overly politicised issue that they see as a crucial component of their country’s further development. This seems to confirm the attitude of society more broadly. When IISEPS asked the general population in 2015 which language(s) they would vote for as the country’s official ones, 48 per cent responded with Russian and Belarusian, 21 per cent did not care, and only 14 per cent mentioned Belarusian alone.12 A further important dimension to language is to understand when people are most likely to speak what language. There might be important differences between the symbolic category of mother tongue and the language actually spoken. 10 ‘Language and national identity’, Independent Institute of Socio-Economic and Political Studies, accessed 12 September 2019, http://www.iiseps.org/?p=869. 11 ‘SamoiinteresnoiepokhoivistoriiBelarusimolodezh‘nazyvaetperiodVKL’,Institut Sotsiologii, 11 October 2018, https://socio.bas-net.by/samoj-interesnoj-epohoj-v-istoriibelarusimolodezh-nazyvaet-period-vkl/. 12 ‘Language and national identity’, Independent Institute of Socio-Economic and Political Studies, accessed 12 September 2019, http://www.iiseps.org/?p=869. FIGURE 6 What language do you consider your native language? Source: ZOiS Var1 Freq 1 Belarusian 373 18.65% 2 Russian 872 43.60% 3 Belarusian& Russian 746 37.30% 4 Other 9 0.45% 2000 100.0% 18.7% 43.6% 37.3% 0.5% Belarusian Russian Belarusian & Russian Other What language do you consider your native language? Datenreihe1 Sour ce: ZOiS n=2, 000  Sour ce: n=1, 912 Qu Quelle: ZOiS  6.2% 1.2% 0.6% 0.2% 1.9% 21.5% Orthodox Roman Catholic Protestant Muslim Jewish Other No religion Religious Affiliation Datenreihe1 n=1,955  Quelle: ZOiS  n = 2,000 For most young Belarusians, language is not an overly politicised issue. ZOiS Report 5 / 2019 Youth in Belarus 16 Informal politics: knowledge of and participation in protests The police crackdown on political and social protests in Belarus has typically been forceful and has complemented general restrictions on civil society. Over recent years, 25 March, celebrated by the opposition as Freedom Day, has been a day for attempts to rally in Minsk and beyond. Each March, the opposition tries to mark the short-lived Belarusian People’s Republic (1918 – 19), which Lukashenko dismissed in 2018 as a ‘dismal page of our history’. In 2018, marking the 100th anniversary of the republic, an opposition march was forbidden and instead an official concert celebration in the city centre was organised. This year, authorities did not approve any mobilisation and police detained several opposition activists before 25 March. In the city of Grodno, however, several thousand people were able to gather without any arrests.17 At the same time, it is very difficult for protest movements to gain attention in the state-controlled media, and pre-emptive arrests remain common. Protests require permissions that are frequently denied by local authorities, and organisers need to pay for security during the event, adding a financial hurdle. Increasingly, authorities fine protesters, although arrests still occur as well. Freedom of association is severely restricted.18 Our survey asked whether young people knew about social and political protests. FIGURE 15 Given the considerable barriers that exist for accessing such information, the fact that 47 per cent knew about protests at all is remarkable. Knowledge was higher among male respondents and those with higher household incomes. Participation, however, is very low, as one 17 Alesia Rudnik, ‘Belarusian Freedom Day 2019: are the authorities warming to the idea?’, BelarusDigest, 25 March 2019, https://belarusdigest.com/story/belarusian-freedom-day2019-are-the-authorities-warming-to-the-idea/. 18 ‘Belarus’ in ‘Freedom in the World 2019’, Freedom House, accessed 12 September 2019, https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2019/belarus. FIGURE 15 Knowledge about protest over the last 12 months FIGURE 16 Participation in political and environmental protest Source: ZOiS Source: ZOiS Var1 Freq 1 Yes 914 47.38% 2 No 1015 52.62% 1929 47.4% 52.6% Yes No Knownledge about protest over the last 12 months Datenreihe1 Source : ZOiS  n=1,92 9  Source : ZOiS  n=1,92 9  Quelle: ZOiS n=1,999  Quelle: Quelle: ZOiS Quelle: ZOiS  Quelle: ZOiS n=1,999  Quelle: Quelle: ZOiS Quelle: ZOiS  47.4% 52.6% Yes No Knownledge about protest over the last 12 months Datenreihe 1 So urc e: n= 1,9 29 Quell e: n=1,9 99  Qu Quell e: Quelle: ZOiS  Quell e: n=1,9 99  Qu Quell e: Quelle: ZOiS  Var variable value ratio 2 Yes PoliticalProtest(n=885) 23 2.60% 1 No PoliticalProtest 862 97.40% 4 Yes EnvironmentalProtest(n=895) 26 2.90% 3 No EnvironmentalProtest 869 97.10% 2.6% 97.4% 2.9% 97.1% Yes No Participation in political and environmental protest Political Protest (n=885) Environmental Protest (n=895) Source: ZOiS  Quelle: ZOiS Quelle: ZOiS  Quelle: ZOiS  14.7% 2.5% 5.9% 2.7% 24.3% 4.8% 7.2% 13.6% 3.8% 10.9% 3.7% 16.6% 3.0% 8.4% Polish TV Polish Radio Regional/local TV and radio Newspapers and magazines Facebook Twitter YouTube Main source of information Political & social (n=885) Environmental (n=895) n = 1,929 ZOiS Report 5 / 2019 Youth in Belarus 17 might expect. From those who knew about protests, a mere 3 per cent said that they had been involved. FIGURE 16 The survey data also indicated that 23 per cent considered protest a useful form of political engagement. Political youth organisations: not convinced Official youth organisations have been a critical component of youth politics in Belarus. The official Belarusian Republican Youth Union (BRSM), the state-funded successor of the Soviet-era Komsomol of Belarus, enjoys a quasi-monopoly. Officially, some 480,000 people aged between 14 and 31 were members in 2014. Some other small youth organisations also exist, such as the youth wing of the Belarusian National Front, the Belarusian National Youth Council, and the Young Christian Democrats. Asked whether they thought that young people should get organised in specific political youth organisations to make their voices heard, 45 per cent of respondents said that they should, whereas most were unsure or against the idea.Asked, however, whether they thought that the government should get young people involved in youth organisations, a little less than one-third of respondents thought that it should, while 41 per cent said it should not. FIGURE 17 In addition to these assessments, we enquired whether respondents were themselves members of a youth organisation. Seventy-two per cent stated that they were not, and others who were members underlined that they were so on a compulsory basis. Clearly the data speak to the disillusion young people have experienced with state-orchestrated involvement. Although young people still become members of the BRSM, many do so in a manner that expresses no support for the regime. Instead, involvement in youth organisations has become part of a ritualised act that people tend to pursue jointly with friends. Ninety-two per cent of those who reported that they were members of youth organisations mentioned the BRSM. The remaining bodies formed a diverse list of smaller associations and clubs. Asked whether there was a youth organisation in Belarus they would consider joining, 5.5 per cent said yes, with the Belarusian Association of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Clubs being most frequently cited, as well as other movements involved in social activities. Assessing developments in Belarus A negative view on their country’s path Asked whether they thought that over the last decade the situation for ordinary people in their country had improved, 16 per cent of the young Belarusians surveyed thought this was the case, and the same share was undecided. More than 57 per cent did not believe that Belarus’s development was going in the right direction. Pursuing this question further, we asked about people’s assessments of the last decade specifically for young Var1 Freq 1 Yes 906 45.2% 31.8% 2 No 476 23.7% 40.7% 3 Undecided 624 31.1% 27.6% 2006 31.8% 40.7% 27.6% Young people should get organised in political youth organisations Yes No Undecided Source: ZOiS  n=2,006  Quelle: ZOiS  n=1,977 FIGURE 17 Should the government get young people into official youth organisations? Source: ZOiS Yes No Undecided n = 1,948 ZOiS Report 5 / 2019 Youth in Belarus 18 n Var1 Freqfirstchoice 1 StrongleadershipinsideBelarus 30 2 Strongleadershipvis-а-visothercountries 31 3 Protectingmybasicsecurity 142 4 Guaranteeingequalityofchancesforeveryoneinthecountry 201 5 Improvementofmylivingstandards 808 6 Anti-corruptionreforms 113 7 Structuraleconomicreforms 290 8 Tomaintainthestatusquo 10 9 GivingBelarusiancitizenstherighttovoteinthepoliticalprocess 84 10 Nothinginparticular 297 2006 1.5% 1.5% 7.1% 10.0% 40.3% 5.6% 14.5% 0.5% 4.2% 14.8% 2.3% 3.6% 18.2% 15.3% 19.1% 13.2% 14.4% 1.2% 7.3% 5.4% Strong leadership inside Belarus Strong leadership vis-а-vis other countries Protecting my basic security Guaranteeing equality of chances for everyone in the country Improvement of my living standards Anti-corruption reforms Structural economic reforms To maintain the status quo Giving Belarusian citizens the right to vote in the political process Nothing in particular What do you expect from those in government? First Choice (n=2,006) Second Choice (n=1,790) Source: ZOiS Quelle: ZOiS FIGURE 18 In your opinion, have things generally got better or worse over the last decade? FIGURE 19 Specific ways in which things got worse FIGURE 20 Best era to be a young person FIGURE 21 What do you expect from those in government? Source: ZOiS Source: ZOiS Source: ZOiS Source: ZOiS Var variable value ratio 1 Better FortheaveragePerson 325 16.20% 2 Worse AveragePerson 1149 57.30% 3 Stayedthesame AveragePerson 336 16.70% 4 Donotknow AveragePerson 196 9.80% 5 Better ForyoungPeople 386 19.20% 6 Worse YoungPeople 1044 52% 7 Stayedthesame YoungPeople 385 19.20% 8 Donotknow YoungPeople 191 9.50% 16.2% 57.3% 16.7% 9.8% 19.2% 52.0% 19.2% 9.5% Better Worse Stayed the same Do not know Have things generally gotten better or worse over the last decade? For the average Person For young People Source: ZOiS  Average Person, n=2,006  Young People, n=2,006  Source: ZOiS  Quelle: ZOiS Quelle: ZOiS  Quelle: ZOiS  Financial Situation Life chances Personally respected in society Personally respected by Quality of life Specific ways in which things got worse n=2,006  Quelle: ZOiS  Specificwaysinwhichthingsgotworse Response Qualityoflife Personallyrespectedinsociety Personallyrespectedbypoliticians 2 1 713 105 223 1044 HierwarichmirnichtsicherwieichdasgraphischdarstellensollinProzentangaben. 713 105 223 655 775 Quality of life Personally respected in society Personally respected by politicians Life chances Financial situation Specific ways in which things got worse 2 1 Source: ZOiS n=2,006  Source: ZOiS Quelle: Quelle: ZOiS  Source: ZOiS n=2,006  Source: ZOiS Quelle: Quelle: ZOiS  Var1 1 Now,inthe2000s 2 Afterthefallofsocialismandduringthe1990s 3 Duringperestroika/Gorbachev 4 DuringtheUSSRaftertheGreatPatrioticWar 5 Afterthe1917revolutionbutbeforetheGreatPatrioticWar 6 Undecided 59.5% 7.9% 4.4% 5.3% 0.8% 22.1% Now, in the 2000s After the fall of socialism and during the 1990s During perestroika / Gorbachev During the USSR after the Great Patriotic War After the 1917 revolution but before the Great Patriotic War Undecided Best Era to be a young person in Belarus Datenreihe1 Source: ZOiS n=1,975  Source: ZOiS  Source: ZOiS Quelle: Quelle: ZOiS  Source: ZOiS  Source: ZOiS Quelle: Quelle: ZOiS  For the average person For young people Firstchoice(n = 2,006) Secondchoice(n = 1,790) n = 2,006 n = 1,975 ZOiS Report 5 / 2019 Youth in Belarus 19 people. Here the picture that emerges is slightly less negative, with 19 per cent stating that things had got better and 52 per cent that they had got worse. FIGURE 18 We asked those who gave a pessimistic view to spell out their assessments in more detail. Presented with five options, respondents said that their financial situation, life chances, and quality of life had deteriorated. Being less respected in society, specifically by politicians, was cited less often. However, less respect from politicians was still mentioned by more than 20 per cent of those who said that things had worsened. FIGURE 19 Women, people with a lower household income, and those living outside Minsk were more likely to hold negative views on the last decade. Trust in the president lay behind positive assessments of developments over the last ten years. A further perspective on how young people assess their lives was obtained by enquiring how they benchmarked the present against other periods. We asked the following question: ‘Some adults and older people think that life was better in the past. In your opinion, in which era was it best to be a young person like you in Belarus?’. FIGURE 20 Although nearly 60 per cent said the best period was the current one, referring to the time since the 2000s, 8 per cent opted for the 1990s, despite the economic instability and hyperinflation of that decade. Ten per cent favoured the communist era. Important to note is that more than 20 per cent of young people selected no response. So while it is not the case that the young have a nostalgic longing for the period of their parents, they are also not clearly convinced that the present era is the most desirable one. Economic and political concerns Belarusian youth overwhelmingly (40 per cent) ranked the improvement of living standards as the top priority of the government. FIGURE 21 Related to this concern, 14 per cent of young people mentioned structural economic reforms as their first expectation. After the most recent economic shock of 2015 – 16, the economy has been growing for the last three years and private consumption rose considerably throughout 2018. However, the economic recovery is predicted to slow.19 Despite the upturn in domestic demand and exports, productivity growth remains low alongside an unfavourable regional economic climate. Meanwhile, the private sector is small, hindered by far-reaching state involvement in the economy; the structural weakness of state-owned enterprises persists. The responses given by young people reflect that the country’s gradual economic improvement over recent years has not benefited the broader population. 19 ‘Belarus Needs to Strengthen Competitiveness for Economic Resilience and Robust Growth, Says Report’, World Bank Press Release, 5 June 2019, https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/ press-release/2019/06/05/belarus-economic-update-spring-2019. The improvement of living standards was ranked as the top priority. ZOiS Report 5 / 2019 Youth in Belarus 20 Trust in people and institutions The question of trust in public institutions is a particularly salient indicator of how citizens relate to their political and social environment in an authoritarian system. In a context where the vote helps little to gain information about preferences, trust values make for an important insight into society. In previous surveys among the general population, the Orthodox Church has usually come out as the most trusted institution.20 Previous surveys have also shown that the proportion of those who do not trust major state institutions outweighs those who do. Turning to young people, their trust values suggest a split between three groups of institutions. FIGURE 22 First, the highest trust levels were achieved on the one hand by volunteer organisations and NGOs, and on the other hand by the army and the security forces. This is similar to the situation in other Central and East European countries where the security apparatus continues to maintain a high prestige. In Belarus, the army is seen as protecting the country externally and is somewhat removed from daily politics. The high trust in the army expressed by young Belarusians is comparable with the positive views on the military that prevail across the 20 ‘Belarus Country Report’, BTI 2018, Bertelsmann Stiftung, accessed 12 September 2019, https://www.bti-project.org/en/reports/country-reports/detail/itc/BLR/. NGOs(n=1,836) Army(n=1,809) Securityforces(n=1,816) President(n=1,674) Church(n=1,749) Army(n=1,809) Donottrustatall 4.6% 14.5% 15.4% 21.9% 25.0% 14.5% Ratherdonottrust 17.5% 27.9% 27.4% 25.9% 28.1% 27.9% Rathertrust 61.4% 43.7% 45.2% 37.2% 35.2% 43.7% Fullytrust 16.6% 13.9% 12.0% 15.1% 11.8% 13.9% 16.6% 13.9% 12.0% 15.1% 11.8% 61.4% 43.7% 45.2% 37.2% 35.2% 17.5% 27.9% 27.4% 25.9% 28.1% 4.6% 14.5% 15.4% 21.9% 25.0% NGOs (n=1,836) Army (n=1,809) Security forces (n=1,816) President (n=1,674) Church (n=1,749) To what extent do you trust... Fully trust Rather trust Rather do not trust Do not trust at all Source: ZOiS  FIGURE 22 To what extent do you trust… Fully trust Rather trust Rather do not trust Do not trust at all Source: ZOiS ZOiS Report 5 / 2019 Youth in Belarus 21 broader population.21 Trust in the security apparatus was particularly high among younger and female respondents and those outside the capital. Consumption of state-controlled media correlated positively with trust in the security services. Views on NGOs were rather consistent among respondents. Second, scores for the president and the Orthodox Church were mixed, revealing the most divided views. The president received on average slightly more positive trust values, although this was a particularly sensitive question and respondents might have self-censored their views. Higher trust in the president was expressed by young respondents, women, those with children, and people who lived outside Minsk. Meanwhile, young people saw the Orthodox Church rather negatively. Finally, there was a set of institutions with overwhelmingly negative trust values. FIGURE 23 These were the Belarusian mass media, local politicians, and the parliament. The negative trust scores for the media reflected the lack of trustworthy independent media in the country. The views of young people correspond to the negative opinions that prevail across the population.22 21 ‘Negative dynamics of trust to institutes’, Independent Institute of Socio-Economic and Political Studies, accessed 12 September 2019, http://www.iiseps.org/?p=1489. 22 ‘Dar’yaUrban:TsennostinaseleniyaBelarusi–Rezul’tatynatsional’nogooprosanaseleniya’, Issledovatel’skii tsentr IPM, May 2019, http://kef.by/upload/iblock/5fd/SR_19_01.pdf. Fully trust Rather trust Rather do not trust Do not trust at all FIGURE 23 To what extent do you trust… Media(n=1,813) Localgovernment(n=1,692) Parliament(n=1,693) Donottrustatall 19.4% 19.8% 21.6% Ratherdonottrust 40.1% 45.7% 41.5% Rathertrust 36.5% 30.2% 31.4% Fullytrust 4.0% 4.3% 5.5% 4.0% 4.3% 5.5% 36.5% 30.2% 31.4% 40.1% 45.7% 41.5% 19.4% 19.8% 21.6% Media (n=1,813) Local government (n=1,692) Parliament (n=1,693) To what extent do you trust... Fully trust Rather trust Rather do not trust Do not trust at all Source: ZOiS  Source: ZOiS ZOiS Report 5 / 2019 Youth in Belarus 22 Var1 Freq 1 Yes 840 43.8% 2 No 505 26.3% 3 Undecided 575 29.9% 1920 43.8% 26.3% 29.9% Should Lukashenko seek closer cooperation with EU countries, even if it means estrangement from Russia? Yes No Undecided Source: ZOiS n=1,920  Source: ZOiS  n=1,912  Quelle: ZOiS Quelle: ZOiS  Source: ZOiS  n=2,006  Quelle: ZOiS  n=1,977 Yes No Undecided Should Lukashenko seek closer cooperation with EU countries, even if it means estrangement from Russia? n=1,920  n=1,912  Quelle: ZOiS  Belarus and the world Foreign policy orientation To understand respondents’ foreign policy outlook, the survey asked them which one country Belarus should have closer relations with in the future. By far the most frequently mentioned country was the Russian Federation, suggested by more than 36 per cent of respondents. FIGURE 24 Russia was followed by the US, Poland, and Germany, all three of which received around 10 per cent. Taken together, current EU countries accounted for 31 per cent of the responses. Despite recent complications, Russia remains the closest partner for Belarus and there are deep economic, political, and cultural ties. Unlike a previous study by the Institute of Sociology, our survey does not suggest that young people seek closer cooperation with China, which only 3.6 per cent of our sample mentioned, despite the widely covered Belt and Road Initiative affecting Belarus.23 With nearly one-third of respondents mentioning EU countries, it is clear that Russia and the EU seem similarly attractive to young Belarusians. Asked whether Lukashenko should seek closer cooperation with EU countries even at the risk of unsettling relations with Russia, however, respondents gave 23 ‘PavelVorob’ev:Vospriyatiebelorusskoimolodezh’yusoyuzasRossieimenyaetsya’,Institut Sotsiologii, 27 November 2018, https://socio.bas-net.by/vospriyatie-belorusskojmolodezhyu-soyuza-s-rossiej-menyaetsya/. FIGURE 24 Belarus should develop closer relations with... FIGURE 25 Should Lukashenko seek closer cooperation with EU countries, even if it means estrangement from Russia? FIGURE 26 Should Belarus and Russia unite in one state? tmp Freq 1 none 602 48.2% 2 Russia 516 36.8% 3 USA 154 11.0% 4 Poland 129 9.2% 5 Germany 128 9.1% 6 Switzerland 54 3.8% 7 China 51 3.6% 8 GreatBritain 39 2.8% 9 Canada 28 2.0% 10 Ukraine 27 1.9% 11 Sweden 24 1.7% 12 Norway 21 1.5% 13 UnitedArabEmirates 21 1.5% 14 Italy 20 1.4% 15 Spain 20 1.4% 17 EU 17 1.2% 1404 1851 n=1,404!!! 36.8% 11.0% 9.2% 9.1% 3.8% 3.6% 2.8% 2.0% 1.9% 1.7% 1.5% 1.5% 1.4% 1.4% Russia USA Poland Germany Switzerland China Great Britain Canada Ukraine Sweden Norway United Arab Emirates Italy Spain Belarus should develope closer relations with... SouSou Var1 Freq 1 Yes 465 23.7% 2 No 1201 61.1% 3 Undecided 299 15.2% 1965 23.7% 61.1% 15.2% Should Belarus and Russia unite in one state? Yes No Undecided n=1,965  Source: ZOiS Source: ZOiS n=1,920  Source: ZOiS n=1,912  Quelle: Source: ZOiS n=1,920  Source: ZOiS n=1,912  Quelle: Source: ZOiS n=2,006  Quelle: ZOiS n=1,977 Source: ZOiS Source: ZOiS Source: ZOiS n = 1,920 n = 1,965 n = 1,404 Yes No Undecided Yes No Undecided ZOiS Report 5 / 2019 Youth in Belarus 23 mixed answers. A little more than 40 per cent wished for closer cooperation, whereas one-quarter did not. FIGURE 25 On relations with Russia, we asked whether respondents thought the two countries should unite as one state, effectively realising the aim of the 1999 Union State treaty. Less than onequarter of respondents favoured this scenario, and more than 60 per cent opposed it. FIGURE 26 In this regard, the current caution and distance that the Belarusian political leadership takes in its policy towards Russia is in accordance with the mood of younger citizens. Travel experience Mobility within Belarus is high, and nearly 80 per cent of respondents had travelled beyond their place of residence over the last twelve months. When it comes to international mobility, the picture looks very different. Less than half of respondents had travelled abroad over the past year. Those who travelled had been to EU countries or Russia (more than 20 per cent each), and around 18 per cent had visited Ukraine. FIGURE 27 By far the most frequent reason for travelling abroad was tourism (64 per cent). The second most common reason were visits to family members and friends, both together adding up to 15 per cent. Nearly 11 per cent mentioned work and almost 2 per cent studying. Among those who had travelled within or beyond Belarus for work or had lived abroad, the largest number of respondents (16 per cent) had gone to Russia. A little more than 12 per cent of those who had lived or worked abroad had been to EU countries. FIGURE 28 FIGURE 27 Over the last year, have you travelled to... FIGURE 28 Have you lived or worked in... Var1 Russia Ukraine OtherFSU EuropeanUnion USAorCanada 1 429 350 81 443 14 2 429 WiesolldasineinenGraphenübersetztwerden? 429 350 81 443 14 51 84 7 Russia Ukraine Other FSU European Union USA or Canada Asia beyond FSU Middle East / North Africa Other Over the last year, have you travelled to... Datenreihe1 Source: ZOiS n=2,006 Source : ZOiS  n=1,0 27  Source: ZOiS  n=1,912  Quelle: ZOiS Quelle: ZOiS  Source: ZOiS  n=1,912  Quelle: ZOiS Quelle: ZOiS  Var1 Russia Ukraine OtherFSU EuropeanUnion USAorCanada 2 1 153 69 26 114 19 153 69 26 114 19 153 69 26 114 19 23 1 Russia Ukraine Other FSU European Union USA or Canada Asia beyond FSU Other Have you lived or worked in... 2 n=2, 006 Source: ZOiS Source: ZOiS n=2,006 Source : ZOiS  n=1,0 27  Source: ZOiS  n=1,912  Quelle: ZOiS Quelle: ZOiS  Source: ZOiS  n=1,912  Quelle: ZOiS Quelle: ZOiS  Source: ZOiS Source: ZOiS ZOiS Report 5 / 2019 Youth in Belarus 24 Nearly half of the respondents indicated that they had relatives or friends in EU countries, while nearly 70 per cent had personal links to Russia. Personal ties to Ukraine were also relatively high, with one-third of respondents reporting family or friends there. Twenty-nine per cent of respondents mentioned personal links to the US and/or Canada. FIGURE 29 These numbers underline the extent to which young Belarusians are connected internationally, a potentially important characteristic given the economic and political implications of such transnational links. Two-thirds of respondents with transnational connections said that the links related to people who had left since 2000, highlighting a relatively recent emigration rather than older historical connections. An important component of personal links beyond one’s place of residence is the flow of money from different parts of the country or from abroad. FIGURE 30 Among the survey respondents, around one-fifth said that they received money from abroad. For context, the overall flow of remittances that can be officially registered is somewhat negligible for Belarus. The most recent data from the World Bank put remittances at 2 per cent of total GDP for 2018.24 Migration intentions Intentions to migrate are an important indicator of how well a population thinks its country is doing relative to other places and how it will perform in the future. Additionally, young people have a higher propensity to leave their place of residence. In Belarus, our survey shows that two-thirds would like to leave where they live, either to emigrate or to migrate within the 24 ‘Personal remittances, received (% of GDP)’, World Bank, accessed 12 September 2019, https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/BX.TRF.PWKR.DT.GD.ZS?locations=BY&most_recent_ value_desc=true. FIGURE 29 Residence of relatives abroad FIGURE 30 Received money from relatives or friends who live… Var1 Russia Ukraine OtherFSU EuropeanUnion USAorCanada 1 0 610 1340 1607 1071 1433 2 1 1396 666 399 935 573 3 0 1607 1071 1433 935 610 4 1 399 935 573 204 1396 5 0 1607 1071 1433 1802 610 6 1 399 935 573 204 1396 7 0 1607 1071 1433 1802 610 8 1 399 935 573 204 1396 9 0 1607 1071 1433 1802 610 10 1 399 935 573 204 1396 11 0 1607 1071 1433 1802 610 12 1 399 935 573 204 1396 13 0 1607 1071 1433 1802 610 14 1 399 935 573 204 1396 15 0 1607 1071 1433 1802 610 16 1 399 935 573 204 1396 17 0 1607 1071 1433 1802 610 18 1 399 935 573 204 1396 19 0 1607 1071 1433 1802 610 20 1 399 935 573 204 1396 OtherFSU 1607 1396 666 399 935 573 204 93 59 Russia Ukraine Other FSU European Union USA or Canada Asia beyond FSU Middle East / North Africa Other Residence of relatives abroad Datenreihe1 Source: ZOiS  n=2,006  n=2,006 Source : ZOiS  n=1,02 7  n=1,912  Quelle: ZOiS Quelle: ZOiS  n=1,912  Quelle: ZOiS Quelle: ZOiS  Answer variable value 1 Russia Russia 204 600.0% 2 Ukraine Ukraine 41 120.6% 3 OtherFSU OtherFSU 22 #DIV/0! 4 EuropeanUnion EuropeanUnion 84 #DIV/0! 5 USAorCanada USAorCanada 34 #DIV/0! 6 AsiabeyondFSU AsiabeyondFSU 16 #DIV/0! 7 Other Other 2 0.5% 403 204 41 22 84 34 16 2 Russia Ukraine Other FSU European Union USA or Canada Asia beyond FSU Other Money received from abroad Datenreihe1 Source: ZOiS  n=403 n=2,006 Source : ZOiS  n=1,0 27  n=1,912  Quelle: ZOiS Quelle: ZOiS  n=1,912  Quelle: ZOiS Quelle: ZOiS  Source: ZOiS Source: ZOiS Young Belarusians are connected internationally and around one-fifth received money from abroad. ZOiS Report 5 / 2019 Youth in Belarus 25 country.25 Only 28 per cent wanted to remain where they were. The driving factor for understanding who wants to leave is income. Higher household wealth predicts aspirations of mobility. Asked where they would like to go, most respondents were attracted to EU countries in general (38 per cent) as well as to the US and Canada (12 per cent). A sizable share of those respondents who wanted to leave their place of residence wished to move within Belarus, either to Minsk or somewhere else (18 per cent). Russia was mentioned by only 11 per cent. FIGURE 31 As triggers for their possible departure, 47 per cent of young Belarusians mentioned the combined worsening of the country’s political and economic situation. A worsening economy alone was cited by 32 per cent and a deteriorating political situation by only 1.6 per cent. Knowing others who had already left, which might make emigration easier, was given by 7 per cent of respondents as a motivation to leave. Values and ideas of community Young Belarusians overall think that others living in Belarus share their values. Nearly 70 per cent affirmed that values were shared to a high or some degree. FIGURE 32 Pursuing this question further, we asked how 25 This is above the already high value for Russia, where 54 per cent wanted to leave; see Félix KrawatzekandGwendolynSasse,‘YouthinRussia:OutlookonLifeandPoliticalAttitudes’, CentreforEastEuropeanandInternationalStudies(ZOiS),Report1 / 2018,June2018, https://www.zois-berlin.de/publikationen/zois-report/zois-report-12018/. For comparison, inPolandone-thirdwantedtoleavetheirplaceofresidence,FélixKrawatzek,‘Youthin Poland: Outlook on Life and Political Attitudes’, Centre for East European and International Studies(ZOiS),Report4 / 2019,September2019,https://www.zois-berlin.de/fileadmin/media/Dateien/ZOiS_Reports/ZOiS_Report_4_2019.pdf. FIGURE 31 Where would you like to go? FIGURE 32 Are your values shared by other people in Belarus? Var1 Freq 1 SomewhereelseinBelarus 207 18.48% 6 2 Russia 126 11.25% 4 3 OtherFSU 24 2.14% 7 4 EuropeanUnion 423 37.77% 3 5 USAorCanada 244 21.79% 2 6 AsiabeyondFSU 11 0.98% 1 7 Other 85 7.59% 5 1120 18.5% 11.3% 2.1% 37.8% 21.8% 1.0% 7.6% Somewhere else in Belarus Russia Other FSU European Union USA or Canada Asia beyond FSU Other Where would you like to go? Datenreihe1 Source: ZOiS  n=1,120  Source: ZOiS  n=403 n=2,006 Source : ZOiS  n=1,0 27  n=1,912  Quelle: ZOiS Quelle: ZOiS  n=1,912  Quelle: ZOiS Quelle: ZOiS  204 41 22 84 34 16 2 Russia Ukraine Other FSU European Union USA or Canada Asia beyond FSU Other Money received from abroad Var1 Freq 1 Notatall 56 2.8% 2 Onlytoalesserdegree 298 15.0% 3 Tosomedegree 1084 54.5% 4 Toahighdegree 293 14.7% 5 Difficulttoanswer 259 13.0% 1990 2.8% 15.0% 54.5% 14.7% 13.0% Not at all Only to a lesser degree To some degree To a high degree Difficult to answer Are your values shared by other people Belarus? Datenreihe1 Source: ZOiS  n=1,99 0  Source: ZOiS n=1,120  Source: ZOiS n=403 n=2,006 Source : ZOiS  n=1,0 27  n=1,912  Quelle: Quelle: ZOiS  n=1,912  Quelle: Quelle: ZOiS  Source: ZOiS Source: ZOiS n = 1,120 n = 1,990