On becoming motivated Europeans: a study on European young adults’ intention to vote in general elections

This study examines the voting intentions of young adults across five European countries—Italy, Spain, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom—using Self- Determination Theory (SDT) as a foundational framework to understand motivation and participation in the political sphere. Given the context of widespread institutional distrust and sociopolitical shifts in Europe, this research integrates SDT constructs—such as needs satisfaction, motivation, and amotivation—alongside participative efficacy and politicized identification. The Politicized Identification Model of Intention to Vote (PIMIV) was tested, hypothesizing that the fulfillment of psychological needs would enhance intrinsic motivation, which would, in turn, indirectly influence voting intentions through politicized identification. Results indicate that the satisfaction of autonomy, competence, and relatedness fosters intrinsic motivation, positively impacting voting intentions through the mediating role of politicized identification. Conversely, amotivation negatively affects both voting intentions and identification with the group of voters. The study’s findings, which were consistent across all analyzed countries, highlight the importance of both individual and group factors in shaping political engagement. This research provides insight into the mechanisms driving electoral participation and underscores the role of social identification in fostering civic engagement, offering practical implications for enhancing political motivation among young Europeans. Thus, this study opens new avenues for future research into the psychological underpinnings of democratic participation.