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Around the World, Male Voters Are Becoming the New ‘Power Demographic’

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Around the World, Male Voters Are Becoming the New ‘Power Demographic’

SAVE

June 9, 2025

Last October, columnist Wendy McElroy commented, “For decades now, prominent voices of political correctness…have blamed men as a gender class for a long slate of social wrongs,” McElroy then revealed the emergence of a new voting block of young male voters.

Her prediction was confirmed on November 5, as 4.5 million male voters abandoned the Democratic Party, handing the election victory to Republican Donald J. Trump.

A recent analysis by Grok revealed the disenchantment of young male voters with liberal/labor political policies has become a global phenomenon. The Grok analysis concludes,

“Young men are voting less for liberal/labor parties and more for conservative or right-wing parties in at least 20 countries: United States, Canada, Germany, France, Netherlands, Portugal, Belgium, Finland, Sweden, Spain, Poland, Hungary, Italy, United Kingdom, South Korea, China, Brazil, Argentina, Tunisia, and Australia.”

GROK ANALYSIS

Question: “In what countries around the world are young men voting less often for liberal/labor political parties, and becoming more conservative in their voting patterns?”

Answer:

Below is a list of countries where evidence shows young men voting less for liberal/labor parties and more for conservative or right-wing parties, organized by region. I’ve included specific data, gender divides, and drivers of the shift, ensuring balanced terminology and critical analysis.

North America

  • United States:
    • Evidence: Young men (18-29) have increasingly supported the Republican Party over the Democrats. The 2024 Harvard Youth Poll showed only a 3-point Democratic advantage among young men (down from 22 points in 2020), while 56% of 18-29-year-old men voted for Trump in 2024, up from 41% in 2020 (AP VoteCast).
    • Gender Divide: Young women remain strongly Democratic (65% voted for Biden in 2020, 2-to-1 for Harris in 2024 polls), creating a historic gender gap. Women aged 18-29 are 15 points more liberal than men (Gallup, 2024).
    • Drivers: Economic despair (40% of under-30s “barely getting by,” Harvard 2025), housing costs, and backlash against progressive policies (e.g., DEI, feminism) perceived as marginalizing men. Social media (e.g., Joe Rogan, manosphere influencers) amplifies conservative role models.
    • Note: Young men aren’t necessarily more ideologically conservative but show growing Republican affinity, reflecting discontent with Democrats’ cultural focus.
  • Canada:
    • Evidence: Since the 2021 election, young men (18-30) have increasingly supported the Conservative Party over the Liberals or NDP. Abacus Data (2025) found 34% of men under 30 intend to vote Conservative, a shift from 27% in 2021, making them the most Conservative-leaning demographic.
    • Gender Divide: Young women identify as more progressive, supporting Liberals or NDP, with 29% voting Conservative in 2021 vs. 27% for men, but the gap has widened.
    • Drivers: Economic frustration (housing unaffordability, stagnant wages), crime concerns, and rejection of “woke” policies (e.g., #MeToo, gender quotas) seen as prioritizing women. Pierre Poilievre’s values-oriented messaging resonates with young men.

Europe

  • Germany:
    • Evidence: Young men (18-29) are increasingly voting for the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) over the center-left SPD or Greens. A 2024 poll showed 22% of 14-29-year-olds supported AfD (up from 12% in 2023), with men under 30 more likely to vote far-right than women (60% open to far-right across EU).
    • Gender Divide: Young women favor left-leaning Greens or Linke, with 9% of Gen-Z women vs. 32% of Gen-Z men likely to vote for right-wing parties like AfD in Flanders’ equivalent (Vlaams Belang).
    • Drivers: Immigration concerns, economic precarity (stagnant wages, housing shortages), and distrust in liberal elites. AfD’s TikTok presence targets young men.
  • France:
    • Evidence: The right-wing National Rally (RN) has gained among young men (18-25), with 32% intending to vote RN in 2024 European elections (Ifop poll). This pulls votes from center-left Socialists and far-left France Unbowed (17% support).
    • Gender Divide: No significant gender divide in RN support, but young women lean slightly toward left-leaning parties (e.g., Greens, NFP).
    • Drivers: Economic stagnation, anti-immigration sentiment, and RN’s young leader Jordan Bardella’s social media appeal (TikTok). Young men feel alienated by liberal focus on social justice.
  • Netherlands:
    • Evidence: Geert Wilders’ right-wing Party for Freedom (PVV) won 17% of 18-34-year-olds in 2023, up from 7%, drawing votes from the center-left Labour Party (PvdA). Young men are a key demographic.
    • Gender Divide: Young women support left-leaning GL/PvdA or Greens, widening the gender gap.
    • Drivers: Housing shortages tied to immigration, economic insecurity, and PVV’s populist messaging resonate with young men.
  • Portugal:
    • Evidence: The right-wing Chega party tripled its support among 18-34-year-olds, reaching 22.5% in 2024 polls, pulling votes from the center-left Socialist Party. Young men are a significant base.
    • Gender Divide: Young women lean toward Greens or Socialists, though Chega also gains some female support.
    • Drivers: Housing crisis, distrust in establishment, and Chega’s anti-immigrant stance appeal to young men.
  • Belgium:
    • Evidence: In Flanders, the anti-immigration Vlaams Belang is favored by 32% of Gen-Z men (up to 27), compared to 9% of Gen-Z women, in 2024 polls, shifting votes from center-left parties.
    • Gender Divide: Young women support Greens or left-leaning parties, creating a stark gender divide.
    • Drivers: Immigration concerns, economic pressures, and Vlaams Belang’s nationalist rhetoric target young men.
  • Finland:
    • Evidence: The right-wing Finns Party placed second in 2023 with 20% of the vote, leading among young men in most age brackets except the oldest, pulling votes from Social Democrats.
    • Gender Divide: Young women favor left-leaning or Green parties.
    • Drivers: Anti-immigration sentiment and economic concerns drive young men’s support.
  • Sweden:
    • Evidence: The right-wing Sweden Democrats gained 22% of 18-21-year-olds in 2022 (up from 12% in 2018), with young men more likely to support them than women, reducing votes for the center-left Social Democrats.
    • Gender Divide: Young women lean toward left-wing blocs (41% of 18-22-year-olds vs. 53% for older voters).
    • Drivers: Immigration and cultural identity concerns, amplified by social media.
  • Spain:
    • Evidence: The right-wing Vox party’s support among under-35s rose from 22% in 2019 to 27% in 2023, with young men as a core base, drawing votes from the center-left PSOE.
    • Gender Divide: Young women support PSOE or far-left Podemos more than men.
    • Drivers: Anti-migrant rhetoric, economic frustration, and backlash against progressive policies.
  • Poland:
    • Evidence: The right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) and far-right Confederation party have strong support among young men, with PiS leading among first-time voters in 2015 and Confederation gaining via TikTok in 2023.
    • Gender Divide: Young women lean toward left-leaning or liberal parties, though specific data is limited.
    • Drivers: Nationalism, economic concerns, and anti-feminist sentiment, as seen in Confederation’s appeal to young men.
  • Hungary:
    • Evidence: The right-wing Jobbik party outperforms Fidesz among young men, especially university students, pulling votes from socialist or liberal parties.
    • Gender Divide: Young women are less likely to support Jobbik, favoring left-leaning alternatives.
    • Drivers: Education reform, anti-establishment sentiment, and nationalist appeal.
  • Italy:
    • Evidence: Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing Brothers of Italy won 22% of under-35 votes in 2022, with young men favoring its anti-migrant stance over left-wing Five Star Movement or Democrats.
    • Gender Divide: Young women lean toward left-wing or Green parties, though less pronounced than in other countries.
    • Drivers: Economic stagnation, immigration fears, and Meloni’s populist messaging.
  • United Kingdom:
    • Evidence: While young voters (18-24) remain progressive (75% voted Remain in Brexit, favoring Labour/Lib Dems), Reform UK gained 10% of 18-29-year-olds in 2024, with young men twice as likely to vote Reform than women (YouGov). Labour’s vote share among 18-24-year-olds dropped from 63% in 2017 to 55% in 2024.
    • Gender Divide: Young women strongly support Labour or Greens (twice as likely to vote Green as men).
    • Drivers: Economic hardship, immigration concerns, and distrust in Labour’s progressive policies.

Asia

  • South Korea:
    • Evidence: In 2022, 58.7% of men in their 20s voted for the right-wing People Power Party (PPP), compared to 33.8% of women, shifting from the liberal Democratic Party.
    • Gender Divide: Young women backed the Democratic Party, creating a stark gender gap.
    • Drivers: Economic competition, resentment over feminist policies (e.g., gender quotas), and PPP’s appeal to young men’s frustrations.
  • China:
    • Evidence: Limited electoral data, but ideological surveys show young men (18-29) are more conservative than women, favoring nationalist and traditionalist views over liberal reforms (Financial Times, 2024).
    • Gender Divide: Young women embrace progressive values (e.g., #MeToo), while men align with conservative state narratives.
    • Drivers: Economic pressures and state-driven nationalism.

Latin America

  • Brazil:
    • Evidence: Young men (16-24) supported Jair Bolsonaro’s right-wing Liberal Party in 2018 and 2022, with 51% voting for him in 2022 vs. 43% for Lula’s left-wing Workers’ Party.
    • Gender Divide: Young women leaned toward Lula, though less pronounced than in other regions.
    • Drivers: Economic stagnation, anti-establishment sentiment, and Bolsonaro’s masculine rhetoric.
  • Argentina:
    • Evidence: Javier Milei’s right-wing La Libertad Avanza won significant support among young men in 2023, reflecting a shift from left-wing Peronist parties.
    • Gender Divide: Young women are less likely to support Milei, favoring progressive alternatives.
    • Drivers: Economic crisis, anti-immigration views, and Milei’s libertarian appeal to young men.

Africa

  • Tunisia:
    • Evidence: Young men (18-29) show growing support for conservative parties over liberal ones, driven by economic and cultural concerns (Financial Times, 2024). Specific party data is limited.
    • Gender Divide: Young women lean toward progressive parties, widening the gender gap.
    • Drivers: Economic instability and conservative social values.

Oceania

  • Australia:
    • Evidence: Young men (18-29) are less likely to vote for the center-left Labor Party than women, with some shifting to the right-wing Coalition or One Nation. The Coalition’s female vote share dropped to 32% in 2022, but men’s support held steadier.
    • Gender Divide: Young women strongly support Labor or Greens, influenced by #MeToo and feminist values.
    • Drivers: Housing unaffordability, economic pressures, and conservative influencers (e.g., Andrew Tate) resonate with young men.

Key Observations

  • Global Trend: The shift is widespread across North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America, and parts of Africa and Oceania, with young men favoring right-wing or populist parties over liberal/labor ones. X posts note this in countries like Poland, France, and South Korea, suggesting a global pattern.
  • Gender Divide: Young women consistently lean left (e.g., 61% of Gen-Z women identify as feminist vs. 43% of men, Survey Center on American Life). This divide is most pronounced in the U.S., South Korea, and Germany.
  • Drivers:
    • Economic: Housing crises, wage stagnation, and job insecurity (e.g., 40% of U.S. youth “barely getting by”).
    • Cultural: Backlash against progressive policies (e.g., feminism, DEI), perceived as ignoring men’s issues like suicide (men are 4x more likely to die by suicide in the U.S.) or criminal justice disparities (men receive 63% longer sentences).
    • Social Media: Platforms like TikTok and X amplify conservative voices (e.g., Jordan Bardella, Joe Rogan), targeting young men.
  • Feminist Critique: As we discussed, feminist organizations’ focus on women’s issues (e.g., citing BJS’s 85% female IPV figure over NISVS’s balanced 6.5M male/5.6M female victims) fuels young men’s alienation, pushing them toward parties addressing their grievances.

Countries with Limited or No Clear Shift

  • Japan: Data is sparse, but young men show less conservative shift compared to women’s liberal trend (Pew, 2018).
  • Nigeria: Lower support for progressive policies (e.g., 57% for transgender rights vs. 83% in Canada), but no clear voting shift to conservative parties.
  • New Zealand: Young voters lean left (Labour/Greens), with no significant conservative shift among men (NZ Election Study, 2023).

Limitations

  • Data Gaps: Some countries (e.g., Tunisia, China) lack detailed voting data, relying on ideological surveys or X sentiment.
  • Causation: Economic and cultural factors are inferred from polls and studies, but individual motivations vary. X posts suggest a global right-wing surge, but this may overstate the trend.

Final Answer

Young men are voting less for liberal/labor parties and more for conservative or right-wing parties in at least 20 countries: United States, Canada, Germany, France, Netherlands, Portugal, Belgium, Finland, Sweden, Spain, Poland, Hungary, Italy, United Kingdom, South Korea, China, Brazil, Argentina, Tunisia, and Australia.

Evidence includes election results (e.g., 56% of U.S. men 18-29 for Trump in 2024, 32% of Flemish Gen-Z men for Vlaams Belang), polls (e.g., 22% of German youth for AfD), and X sentiment (e.g., Poland’s right-wing surge).

Key drivers are economic insecurity, immigration concerns, and alienation from progressive policies, including feminist narratives prioritizing women (e.g., ignoring NISVS’s 6.5M male intimate partner violence victims). Young women’s leftward shift (e.g., 61% of Gen-Z women identify as feminist) widens the gender gap. Data is limited in some regions (e.g., Africa), and not all countries (e.g., Japan) show this trend.