From Polarisation to Partnership: Strengthening Social Cohesion Across Europe

Published on the 16 October 2025, a new research report from Eurofound, 'Social cohesion and inclusive participation in a polarised Europe', offers a comprehensive 20-year lens on trends of polarisation and participation across Europe, drawing primarily on the European Social Survey (ESS) and the Living and Working in the EU e‑survey (LWE) data. European societies have undergone significant transformation in recent decades: the end of the Cold War, EU enlargement, global economic crises, the COVID-19 pandemic and now the war in Ukraine. The report underscores how these changes affect social cohesion (the bonds that hold societies together) and inclusive participation (how people engage in decisions that affect them). When societies become more polarised, when people increasingly distrust institutions, feel alienated, disagree fundamentally with “the other side”, then democratic systems and social stability are at risk.

Polarisation in the report is defined as an “extreme form of disagreement” where social and political divides deepen and become entrenched, limiting the possibility of common ground. Rather than simply “people disagree a lot”, the report focuses on measured attitudes on key issues (trust in institutions, attitudes to immigration, gender equality, the role of the EU) and how consensus or divergence has shifted over time. For instance, the report includes data tables and figures tracking variables such as “Trust in political institutions”, “Immigrants make the country a worse or better place to live”, “Satisfaction with the way democracy works” across multiple years and countries. 

Key findings

• Trust in political institutions has dropped and remains weak: The period following the global economic crisis saw a sharp fall in trust, and many parts of the population have not recovered. Those with deep distrust tend to be financially unstable, less politically engaged and more dissatisfied with public services.
• Financial insecurity weakens solidarity and fuels polarisation: People who struggle to make ends meet are less likely to support refugee housing, humanitarian aid or military assistance (e.g., in the context of Ukraine). Economic strain correlates with less willingness to support others.
• Attitudes to gender and sexual equality have improved steadily: On this dimension the report suggests a more positive trend in many EU countries.
• Immigration and cultural-economy attitudes remain more divisive: Especially in times of financial insecurity, many citizens remain sceptical about the contribution of immigrants to culture and economy. Traditional value orientations link with more negative views.
• Values matter, but less than one might assume: While human values (traditional vs universalist) do influence attitudes (e.g., towards gender equality, immigration) they are less decisive in some aspects of political polarisation than economic, educational and engagement factors.
• Education, political engagement and stable finances act as buffers: Citizens with higher education, stronger political interest, better financial circumstances show lower levels of polarisation and higher trust.
• Support for Ukraine is waning – and media/social media play a role: The report finds that fatigue from the war, financial insecurity and heavy consumption of social media correlate with reduced support for government efforts to assist Ukraine.
• Deliberative democratic processes (citizens' assemblies, etc.) show promise: Inclusive processes where citizens deliberate (rather than simply vote) help build bridges between citizens and institutions. But they need resources, political will and institutional backing.

The report suggests several strategies. 

• Rebuild trust between citizens and institutions: Since trust is “the glue” of social cohesion, it’s vital to understand what drives distrust (e.g., financial hardship, weak service delivery, lack of transparency) and address it.
• Tackle economic insecurity & digital risks: Given that economic problems and social media/disinformation are significant drivers of polarisation, policies might aim to improve economic stability (jobs, incomes), ensure safe, trustworthy digital spaces and combat misinformation (e.g., via the Digital Services Act).
• Promote inclusive democratic participation tools: Encourage institutional mechanisms such as citizens’ assemblies, participatory budgeting, deliberative forums — but ensure they are representative, have adequate funding, and integrate into policy-making rather than being tokenistic.
• Engage civil society and social partners: CSOs and social partners (labour, employers, community organisations) play a key role in linking institutions to citizens and can help in follow-up, monitoring, and keeping engagement active

The findings underline that polarisation is not inevitable. It is shaped by socio-economic conditions, institutional performance, media ecosystems, and democratic formats. For democracies, the fact that education and engagement matter suggests that investing in civic education, fostering political interest and lowering barriers to participation can pay dividends. The stabilising effect of deliberative processes is interesting — rather than just more voting, perhaps we need better participation. The link between economic hardship and attitudes to migrants or external assistance is crucial: when people feel squeezed, they may retract solidarity. This warns that social policies (income security, decent services, lifelines in crisis) are not just about welfare—they’re about maintaining the social fabric. The digital dimension is also key: social media (and presumably other online spaces) are highlighted as reducing support for Ukraine and amplifying polarisation. The digital age adds a layer of risk to social cohesion.

This report sheds valuable light on how social cohesion and inclusive participation are being challenged in Europe by rising polarisation and highlights actionable pathways to address these challenges. It reminds us that the health of democratic societies hinges not just on elections and formal institutions, but on relationships between citizens, institutions, values, economic security, digital environments and participation tools.