Youth Anti‐Corruption Potential: Insights From Germany, Lithuania and Spain

Abstract

Corruption is universally recognised as one of the biggest challenges for modern societies. Its negative impact on economies and institutions, as well as its erosive effect on citizen trust and state stability, pose a significant strain on good governance. Due to its pervasive nature, implementation of anti-corruption policies and education require persistent efforts and dedication. Understandably, young people are identified as the most important cohort within society, which should be well prepared to address all challenges associated with the malpractice. According to the Theory of Planned Behaviour, knowledge must be transformed into perception, followed by the adoption of a suitable attitude, which should then be reflected in future behaviour. As such, it is paramount to ensure that young individuals are able to comprehend the negative impact of corruption, identify the malpractice, and be prepared to inform the relevant authorities when faced with acts of corruption. This set of competences is referred to as anti-corruption potential. It is shaped by the cultural, societal and institutional constraints of the country (region) as well. It consists of three main elements—perception (knowledge), attitude (values) and behaviour. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the current dynamics of youth anti-corruption potential in three European countries—Germany, Lithuania and Spain. For its purposes, a survey was conducted amongst 1,922 young individuals, aged 15–29, who are currently in education. The countries selected represent three main EU regions—Western, Eastern and Central and Southern Europe. The results demonstrate that corruption is universally recognised as an existing challenge. However, Lithuanian and German young people exhibit higher intolerance towards the malpractice, whilst Spanish youth demonstrate the most positive attitude in regard to integrity as a contributing factor to personal success. Moreover, the majority of respondents from all three countries assert that their decision to report suspected or witnessed acts of corruption would be made after a thorough deliberation, taking into account the specific circumstances and the context of the situation. Results further indicate that anti-corruption education programmes should become an indispensable part of the educational process. However, such programmes must be tailored to reflect the cultural specificities of the society and the unique needs of the youth. This research makes a major contribution regarding the anti-corruption potential of young people across diverse European contexts. It further demonstrates how regional and cultural variations shape perceptions, attitudes and behaviour towards corruption. As such, increasing understanding of the social and cultural context in which corruption occurs—both at personal as well as state level—should be considered a priority by policymakers and practitioners.