Keywords

1 Introduction

Polish society seems to have an ambivalent relationship with the European Union. On the one hand, trust in the EU is higher in Poland than in the EU average, and Polish people show more confidence in the European Union than in their national government (European Commission 2022). Furthermore, 79% of Poles consider themselves citizens of the EU, which is also above the EU average of 71% (ibid.). On the other hand, one of the two parties that have dominated both national and EU politics in Poland since the EU accession—the right-wing conservative Law and Justice Party (Prawo i Sprawiedliwość—PiS)—is rather skeptical of the EU in general and of efforts to further deepen European integration in particular (Szczerbiak 2020), while the conservative-liberal Civic Platform (Platforma Obywatelska—PO) takes a predominantly EU-friendly stance.

European Parliament elections in Poland have usually been won by the party in power at the time. Accordingly, the PO and PiS have been taking turns winning elections to the European Parliament for years. Traditionally, the voter turnout for the European Parliament is significantly lower compared to local, presidential, and parliamentary elections. In 2019, the highest turnout in European elections was recorded at 46%. In that election, PiS secured 45.4% of the votes, followed by the Koalicja Europejska (KE, European Coalition, consisting of the PO and other pro-European parties) which received 38.5% of the votes (Państwowa Komisja Wyborcza n.d.; see p. 192 in Szczerbiak 2020). Young people in the age group of 18–25 years tend to cast their votes less frequently than voters in other age groups (see p. 26 et. seq in Bartłomiej 2014). In general, they have a positive attitude towards the EU and oppose the idea of leaving the union (Rzeczpospolita Polska 2018).

2 Towns, Schools, and Discussion Participants

Group discussions were conducted in two towns, each having about 22,000 inhabitants. Sandomierz is a municipality on the Vistula River in southeastern Poland; Nowa Ruda is a town in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in the south-western part of Poland, close to the Czech Republic (Urząd Miejski w Sandomierzu 2022; see p. 1 in Urząd Statystyczny we Wrocławiu 2020).

Infrastructurally, Sandomierz is well connected by the rural roads to larger cities in the surrounding area, such as to Kraków and to Rzeszów. However, train connections to nearby major cities are poor. The town has a very clean, well-preserved historical old town with a pedestrian zone and a market square. In the centre there are smaller, largely renovated, two-storey buildings, several baroque churches, and numerous restaurants, cafes, and retail stores. Sandomierz is very well developed for tourism, with many signs for cycling and hiking trails, multilingual information boards, and tourist information. In both the 2019 national parliamentary election and the 2019 EP election, the Eurosceptic PiS party won most of the votes. In the election to the Polish Lower House of Parliament, PiS received 41.4%, followed by the Civic Coalition with 22.9% (Państwowa Komisja Wyborcza 2019). In the EP election, PiS came out on top with 56.98%, obtaining significantly more votes than the national average, followed by Koalicja Europejska with 31.5% (Kolera 2019).

Nowa Ruda is distinguished by a well-preserved and clean town centre with renovated two-to-three-storey tenement houses around the main market square. The rest of the old town consists mainly of small streets with narrow sidewalks and many old houses in need of renovation. Infrastructurally, the town is connected with other regional cities by local roads as well as by railway lines. However, only a few trains stop there per day. As far as gastronomy is concerned, there is only one café and one bistro in the market square and a few bakeries and corner stores in the immediate vicinity, as well as numerous banks, pharmacies, and two medical centres. Economically, the most important industries in Nowa Ruda in the past were textile manufacturing and mining. Nowadays, there are only a few industrial plants still operating.

In contrast to Sandomierz, the Koalicja Europejska received 47.9% of the votes in the 2019 EP elections, but the PiS party was also strong with 36.6% (Polska Agencja Prasowa 2019). National elections held in the same year were won by KE as well, although this time by a smaller margin. While KE received 39.3%, PiS came in second with 36.3% (Państwowa Komisja Wyborcza 2019).

In Sandomierz, the high school and the vocational school, where group discussions were conducted, share a large building complex. Centrally located and directly across from a bus station, the building is a typical renovated pre-fab building from the 1970s and rather inconspicuous. A total of 340 students attend the school. The vocational school specialises in the gastronomy and hotel industries. The high school has a military class supported by the Ministry of Defense, which is why some students wore a soldier’s uniform during the group interview. All participants in the group discussions were selected in advance by a teacher. During both discussions, a secretary was present in the adjoining room, who motivated the students to participate actively at the beginning.

The participating schools in Nowa Ruda are located on opposite sides of the town. The high school is situated in the middle of a residential area, not far from the central market square, in a newly renovated building with three floors. A total of 260 students attend the school. In contrast, the vocational school is located further from the town centre, consists of a single-storey building, and does not appear to have been renovated for a long time. Approximately 300 students attend this school, whose profile specialises in educating businessmen, electricians, graphic designers, hotel staff, IT specialists, and mechanics. At the beginning of the group discussion, a teacher was present who listened to the interviewers’ introduction, motivated the students to participate actively, and then left. The discussion at the vocational school was conducted without the presence of a teacher.

3 The Situation of the Young People and Their Self-image as Citizens

The group discussions were started with questions concerning the students’ plans in 10 years, the advantages and disadvantages of their place of residence, and their responsibilities for any problems. Overall, all groups indicated a lack of prospects regarding local training and job opportunities. They argued that those who want to continue their education and develop their skills have few opportunities in Sandomierz or Nowa Ruda. As a result, most participants are thinking of leaving the town in which they currently attend school. While few of them consider going to one of the “big cities”, others stated they could imagine going abroad.

In both towns, some students also expressed a certain dissatisfaction and feeling of lack of prospects on a national level, speaking of a general malaise, a lack of respect for human rights, and low wages by international standards. Against this backdrop, it is not always clear whether emigration is voluntary or not. For example, students at the vocational school in Nowa Ruda argued that they feel compelled to leave Poland because they have no other option, but that it is not an easy choice because of their family ties. Whereas high school students in Sandomierz stressed that job security should not depend on one’s place of residence.

Students also mentioned the merits of their towns. Thus, students from Sandomierz highlighted the town as a popular tourist destination with cultural attractions and short walking routes. They argued that the town and the region benefited from a TV series recently produced there. Similarly, the high school students in Nowa Ruda praised the beautiful scenic surroundings as well as the events organised by the cultural centre, while the group from the vocational school found it more difficult to articulate the positive aspects of the town.

In general, however, students tended to highlight problems rather than the positive sides of their towns. In both places, they mentioned a lack of urban organisation. In Sandomierz, the students referred to the unclear road traffic regulations and complained about construction work and how the functioning of the city causes disorganisation. In Nowa Ruda, they were particularly vocal about issues concerning public transport, which is poorly developed. Buses are often delayed or spontaneously cancelled. Moreover, they mentioned the problem of air pollution, which makes it difficult to breathe during the heating season.

In each group discussion, students considered the authorities at the municipal level to be politically responsible. For the students of Nowa Ruda, the inhabitants can also play an essential role, but they argued that due to the exodus of young adults, it is mainly older people who, despite their dissatisfaction, do not show a willingness and have no ambitions for change.

When asked about the meaning of EU citizenship and their links to other EU citizens, most students indicated that they did not feel particularly connected to other EU citizens. Few admitted a certain connection to other EU citizens by simply belonging to the EU and therefore enjoying privileges, but in general they stated that EU citizenship is less relevant for them than having a state one. In both schools in Sandomierz, students stated that EU citizenship was not relevant to them compared to national citizenship and that there was little public interest in general. Similar statements were expressed by students in both schools in Nowa Ruda. For example, some of the respondents admitted that they hardly know anything about the EU because EU issues do not affect their everyday lives. The low relevance of EU citizenship among the students in peripheral regions is remarkable, considering that roughly 80% of the Poles, as mentioned at the beginning, identify themselves as citizens of the EU.

In the course of the discussion, students talked about some factors conducive to feeling connected to other EU citizens. They argued, for instance, that freedom to travel provides a certain basis for a sense of togetherness. Besides this, some mentioned the interdependence between different people, describing the EU as an economic union in which EU citizens work for and benefit from each other. The vocational school students in Sandomierz expressed the desire for the mutual support of the EU countries regarding border protection as an aspect of feeling more European. Soldiers and volunteers should come to Poland to jointly secure the EU’s external border. The introduction of the Euro to stabilise prices and a common EU holiday were also mentioned as concrete measures to create a sense of community. Moreover, the vocational students in Nowa Ruda discussed the financial support of rural regions by the EU. According to some students, the EU invests lots of money in major cities, such as Wrocław, whereas more money should be given to smaller municipalities.

Further statements referred to cultural differences within the EU and also to the overall difference between EU and non-EU countries. While some stated that communication with EU citizens is easier than with non-citizens of the EU, and some clearly demarcated themselves from people outside the European continent to show a certain attachment to EU citizens, others emphasised the cultural characteristics of each country and the resulting cultural differences among European nations.

The question of whether the students had ever heard of the “Conference on the Future of Europe” was unequivocally negated by most of the respondents. In addition to queries and hesitant answers, there was some speculation and confusion with other events. Only at the high school in Nowa Ruda did one student say that she had already taken part in a debate on the future of Europe. A second student had heard about it before, but could not give any detailed information about it.

4 Perceptions of the EU and EU Rights

When asked to rank the policies, rights, and freedoms provided by the EU, responses as well as the manner of the discussion varied from group to group. While the group from the high school in Nowa Ruda had a rather lively discussion, the members of the other groups gave rather superficial answers and supported their decisions with arguments in individual cases. Notwithstanding these differences, it turned out that some rights, such as access to clean water and health care, were crucial to all groups. Moreover, nearly all groups chose peace as one of the most necessary achievements of the EU. Apart from that, the groups considered different aspects important. The high school students from Nowa Ruda were particularly vocal about non-discrimination and access to an independent judiciary. Participants in the vocational school, on the other hand, found voting rights and freedom of movement particularly important. For the vocational school students in Sandomierz, the European funds and the right to protest were essential. The high school students in Sandomierz had a slightly different opinion and chose the right to vote, international exchanges, and freedom of movement as the most important privileges.

Regarding the least important features, all groups agreed on data protection, the abolition of roaming charges as well as the right to petition. Furthermore, three groups discarded the European Citizens’ Initiative but did not specify why it was unimportant for them. Some students argued that the abolition of roaming charges is irrelevant since one could go abroad and buy a local SIM card. Indisputably, all four groups found it easier to agree on the most rather than the least important rights and privileges. In general, the groups mostly rated certain rights as unimportant, which they had never used or heard about being useful. Given these differences between all four groups, it does not seem that they are due to being different types of schools or regions.

5 The Right to Vote and EU Elections

The groups also discussed the reasons for the low turnout in EU elections. Overall, students in all schools agreed that ignorance regarding European politics was one of the main reasons. Moreover, they argued that the EU seems to be very distant while national issues are much more present in the media, more accessible, and thus perceived as more important for everyday events than EU issues. According to the students, the ignorance of many Polish citizens is accompanied by a lack of interest in the EU and a lack of willingness to partake in European elections. At the high school in Nowa Ruda, a student not only criticised but also explained the political passivity of Polish citizens regarding the EU elections. Not voting would be a more comfortable option than getting informed and becoming active.

In addition, students suggested that a degree of political disenchantment prevents people from casting their votes, as it prevents them from being disappointed. In Sandomierz, respondents from both schools considered a certain fear as a basic motive for not voting, suggesting that the anxiety of the consequences of a decision that people later would regret may play a role. In this regard, it was striking that most of the students differentiated themselves from the non-voters, saw non-voting as a missed opportunity, and stressed that it would make a difference if more people voted. A student from the high school in Nowa Ruda emphasised a generational difference in attitudes and the willingness to consciously participate in shaping one’s own circumstances. In her view, more people will participate in future EP elections because young people are more conscious of making decisions and want to change something.

By contrast, some students from the schools in Sandomierz complained that especially young people in Poland are uninformed. Asked what the EU could do to get more people to vote in the EU elections, they expressed a desire to learn more about the EU and the elections. While to date, the information has often been targeted towards the older generations of their parents and grandparents, they would like to see a comprehensible information campaign enabling young people to also understand what is at stake. At the same time, they stressed that the right amount of information seems to be crucial, because a topic would quickly lose its appeal if it is “overused”.

Overall, students in all groups expressed the desire for increased information campaigns for the EU elections, both in schools and the media. They suggested that media coverage of EU issues should be increased, people should be more actively informed, the benefits of EU membership should be highlighted, and public awareness of EU elections should be raised. At both high schools, some students admitted that they had never seen an advertisement or poster for the EP election. Some of the responsibility for the lack of information was placed at the national level. Students, for example, demanded that the Polish state should take care of more public relations and do more advertising for the EU candidates. A high school student from Nowa Ruda expressed concerns about the financing of the EU campaign, which could cause reluctance and skepticism among people. The group from the high school in Sandomierz, on the other hand, saw material incentives as an opportunity to motivate more people to vote in EU elections. The group specifically discussed how the prospect of more funding could encourage people to cast their votes.

Furthermore, a student in Nowa Ruda (high school) expressed skepticism about whether the EU can do anything at all to motivate more people to vote, given the lack of openness and interest among citizens. In this context, the possibility of introducing compulsory voting was quickly discarded, as the freedom of choice is perceived as an important right.

6 Conclusion and Expectations

What can the EU do to make students feel more like EU citizens? In summary, security on a personal, national, and economic level was a cross-cutting theme at all schools in the two Polish small towns: Students in Sandomierz argued that the EU could provide this security and thus also a sense of belonging through the mutual support of the EU countries regarding border protection or by introducing the Euro or a common EU holiday. Students in Nowa Ruda suggested the financial support of rural regions by the EU.

At the same time, students indicated that although the EU brings benefits both to Poland and to them personally, this does not necessarily influence the sense of community, as regional, historical, and cultural references often come first. However, some students expressed a desire to learn more about the EU and the elections. To date, the information has often been aimed at the older generations. Instead, they would like to see a comprehensible information campaign so that young people also understand what is at stake.