Gen Z Britons are calling for a second referendum on EU membership, with a significant majority indicating they would opt to rejoin the bloc. The desire for a 'people's vote' is driven by widespread dissatisfaction among a generation who were largely excluded from the 2016 Brexit debate due to their age.
The survey conducted by thinktank More in Common reveals that 60% of Gen Z Britons, those aged between 18 and 28, would vote to rejoin the EU. This compares starkly with just 9% who want to remain outside the bloc. When focusing on individuals likely to participate in a hypothetical second referendum, support for rejoining swells to 81%, against 19% for staying out.
Half of all Gen Z Britons view Brexit as a failure, while only 16% consider it a success. A further 34% remain undecided on the issue. The negative outlook is particularly pronounced among younger adults, with 53% of those aged 18-21, who were children during the 2016 vote, labelling Brexit a failure. This figure moderates slightly to 48% among 25- to 28-year-olds.
The executive director of More in Common, Luke Tryl, notes that the Brexit referendum was a formative political event for many in this age group, who recall the campaign and subsequent debates vividly despite being too young to vote. While a majority favour rejoining, focus groups suggest a reluctance among Gen Z voters to revisit the extensive Brexit debates, fearing they could overshadow pressing concerns such as cost of living, affordable housing, job opportunities, and climate change.
The polling also highlights divisions on whether Brexit was conceptually flawed or poorly executed by politicians. Approximately 37% believe the project could have succeeded but was 'ruined by politicians' who mismanaged it, while 29% contend that Brexit was 'never going to work' from the outset. Only 11% currently believe Brexit has been successful.
These findings emerge amid a broader national discussion concerning the evolving demographics of the UK electorate. Analysts suggest that the pro-Brexit majority from 2016 has likely diminished due to natural population changes. Calculations based on Office for National Statistics data indicate that a higher proportion of original Leave voters have died since 2016 compared to Remain voters, while approximately 6 million young people who were ineligible to vote in 2016 have since joined the electorate.