As the midterms in 2026 and the presidential election in 2028 get closer, a new group of voters is starting to make a significant impact on politics: Generation Z. This group, made up of people born from 1997 to 2012, is growing up during a time of considerable changes in technology, social issues, and political disagreements. But within Gen Z, there is a big split, especially between genders, that could significantly impact how future elections turn out.
Recent elections and surveys have shown a clear gender divide among Gen Z. In the U.S., during the 2024 presidential election, around 50% of men aged 18–29 voted for Donald Trump, while 61% of young women backed Kamala Harris, as reported by Reuters (Reuters, 2025). This trend isn’t just happening in the U.S.; similar patterns can be seen around the world:
- South Korea: A poll by Gallup Korea in June 2025 revealed that 30% of men between 18 and 29 years old intend to support the right-wing Reform Party. In contrast, just 3% of young women plan to do the same, while more than 50% of men are backing conservative parties.
- France: In the legislative elections last year, data from the EU showed that more men aged 18 to 34 voted for Marine Le Pen’s far-right party compared to women.
- Germany: In the elections held in February 2025, the far-right AfD party received 20.8% of the votes. Among men aged 18 to 24, 27% supported them, while 35% of women chose the far-left Linke party (Reuters, 2025).
- Canada: In the previous month, 50% of men aged 35 to 54 voted for the opposition conservatives, while the Liberals gained support from female voters.
In the United States, there is a noticeable gender gap, especially among voters of color. Support for Democrats among young Black, Asian, and Hispanic men decreased from 76.1% in 2020 to 57.3% in 2024. At the same time, support from women in these groups went down from 85% to 77%, resulting in a gap of 19.7 points (POLITICO, 2025).
| Region | Men’s Voting Preference | Women’s Voting Preference | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. (2024) | 50% for Trump | 61% for Harris | Reuters |
| South Korea (2025) | 30% for Reform Party | 3% for Reform Party | Gallup Korea |
| France (Last Year) | More for far-right | More for the far-right | EU Data |
| Germany (Feb 2025) | 27% for AfD | 35% for Linke | Reuters |
Within Gen Z, there are different groups. According to Axios, “Gen Z 1.0” (the ones who finished high school before the COVID-19 pandemic) were influenced by events like the Women’s March, discussions about gun control, and Black Lives Matter, making them more progressive.
On the other hand, “Gen Z 2.0” (those who were in high school or middle school during the COVID lockdowns) faced feelings of isolation and economic worries, which led some to lean towards conservative or MAGA-aligned beliefs (Axios, 2025).
A Yale Youth Poll from Spring 2025 showed that younger Gen Z (ages 18–21) preferred Republicans by 11.7 points, while older Gen Z (ages 22–29) leaned towards Democrats by 6.4 points, resulting in an 18-point difference.
The way Gen Z gets its news affects how it thinks about politics. A lot of them, especially those who scroll through news, use social media like TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube. According to Pew Research, the number of Gen Z users getting news from TikTok jumped from 9% in 2020 to 39% by 2024 (Pew Research, 2024). These platforms show news in a fun way, which can change how people see things without them thinking deeply about it.
On the other hand, active news consumers, who look for news from traditional sources, are more involved in politics and usually have stronger ties to political parties, often leaning towards the Democratic side. But they are not the majority in Gen Z. Those who passively consume news, who come across it by chance, are less involved, tend to be independents or moderates, and helped the Republicans gain ground in 2024 (Vox, 2025).
Reasons for the Divide
There are several reasons for this divide:
- Economic Issues: Many young men, especially those who didn’t go to college, feel like they are being left out financially. They often blame feminism, diversity programs, and immigration for the competition for jobs. On the other hand, young women, especially those with more education, see the job market as fairer (Reuters, 2025).
- Social Media Impact: Apps like TikTok amplify feelings of anger among young men, with influencers and popular videos shaping their political views. Experts have noticed a trend called the “angry young men symptom” in places where blue-collar jobs are disappearing.
- Ideological vs. Political Divide: There is a big difference between Democrats and Republicans, but the ideological split (liberals vs. conservatives) is not as strong among non-white Gen Z. For white Gen Z, 46% of women consider themselves liberal, while only 28% of men do (American Survey Center, 2025).
The gender divide among Gen Z is happening all over the world. In places like Australia, mandatory voting might help lessen the significant gaps, but in other areas, the pattern of young men voting for the right and women voting for the left is changing how democracies work.
Experts are concerned that if we don’t tackle problems like the cost of housing, job stability, and the mental health of young men (which has high suicide rates), this divide could continue (Reuters, 2025).
My name is Farhad Dawar and I am graduate of the Institute of Media and Communication Studies Bahaddin Zakariya University Multan Pakistan. I’m passionate about journalism and media, and I believe in journalism of courage, uncovering the truth, and shaping the future.
- Farhad Dawarhttps://dawartimes.com/author/admin/
- Farhad Dawarhttps://dawartimes.com/author/admin/
- Farhad Dawarhttps://dawartimes.com/author/admin/
- Farhad Dawarhttps://dawartimes.com/author/admin/
