PM De Wever on youth anxiety: 'A difficult moment in my life too'

In a candid conversation with VRT's youth editorial team, Prime Minister Bart De Wever offers a personal perspective on the anxieties and uncertainties that plague young people today. His admission that his own late teens and early twenties were a 'difficult period' and a 'dark phase' resonates deeply, particularly in light of the VRT study 'De Foto van Vlaanderen' revealing that young people feel less happy than older generations. De Wever doesn't dismiss these findings; instead, he validates them by drawing parallels to his own experiences.

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The period between 18 and 20 was also a difficult period in my life.

He articulates the universal struggle of navigating the transition from the structured environment of secondary school to the daunting ambiguity of adulthood. This 'difficult joint' in life, as he describes it, is characterized by the feeling of being legally adult but emotionally and mentally still searching for identity and purpose. His own unanswered questions about his place in society and his future underscore the profound nature of this developmental stage. The Prime Minister's message of hope – that 'the sun suddenly rose again' without a specific catalyst – offers a glimmer of encouragement to those currently in a similar struggle.

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The age between 18 and 24 is simply 'a difficult joint in your life', with the transition from the safe structure of secondary school to the uncertainty of adulthood.

De Wever pointedly addresses the role of social media, particularly platforms like TikTok, in exacerbating these issues. He expresses strong doubts about the healthiness of these platforms, suggesting their algorithms may be designed without adequate safeguards against harmful effects. This, he argues, traps young people in echo chambers, reinforcing their existing beliefs and potentially distorting their perception of reality. While acknowledging that shielding children entirely from the digital world is impossible, he stresses the need to equip them with resilience to navigate the 'wild seas' of the online environment.

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My message to young people who might be in that dark place is not to despair. If you need help: 'reach out'. But also realize that this might be a phase you unfortunately have to go through.

His perspective offers a stark contrast to the often-simplistic Western media narrative that might focus solely on policy solutions. Here, in Flanders, the conversation delves into the personal, the psychological, and the societal impacts of modern life on youth. De Wever's willingness to share his own vulnerabilities and to critically examine the digital landscape provides a uniquely Flemish lens on a global issue, emphasizing the need for both personal coping strategies and a political willingness to confront the powerful, opaque forces of social media algorithms.

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I have very serious doubts whether that is a healthy social medium and whether the algorithm is not written to - at least - avoid very malicious effects.