Young Spaniards increasingly identify as Catholic, reversing decades of secularising trends, in findings which mark a dramatic rise in recent years. A large majority are also disillusioned with democracy, according to a major national youth survey released on April 28. The report also comes amid wider signs of renewed religious interest among younger generations in parts of Western Europe, including record adult baptisms in France. By contrast, similar claims of sharply increased Christian engagement among Generation Z in the United Kingdom have recently been disputed after flaws were found in a much-cited survey.
The findings were published by the SM Foundation in its Young Spaniards 2026 report, which examines values, beliefs and social attitudes among those aged 15 to 29. Reporting on the study says that the percentage of young people identifying as Catholic – including both practising and non-practising – increased from 31.6 per cent in 2020 to 45 per cent in 2025, the highest level recorded in the survey’s historical series.
It also reported that 38.4 per cent of respondents now consider religion “quite or very important” in their lives, while explicitly non-religious identification has declined. At the same time, researchers noted that religious affiliation among young Spaniards often coexists with beliefs not traditionally associated with Catholic doctrine, including belief in karma, reincarnation or forms of spiritual healing.
The report documented broader social dissatisfaction among Spanish youth. Around 68 per cent of respondents said they had little or no satisfaction with the functioning of democracy, and many cited housing costs, employment insecurity and delayed family formation as major obstacles to adult life.
Spain has undergone significant secularisation since the late 20th century, despite its long Catholic history and the Church’s central role in national life, particularly during and after the Spanish Civil War. Regular Mass attendance has declined steadily over recent decades, especially among younger age groups, although Catholic identity remains culturally widespread.
Recent developments elsewhere in Western Europe suggest at least some renewed interest in religion among younger adults. In France, the Catholic Church has recorded a sustained rise in adult baptisms, culminating in record figures in 2026. Reporting on figures from the French bishops says that more than 20,000 catechumens – including about 13,200 adults and more than 8,000 adolescents – were baptised at Easter in 2026, the highest total in modern records and a continuation of a broader upward trend.
Church officials in France have reported that many of the new catechumens are young adults, particularly those in their late teens and twenties, marking a shift from earlier decades when adult converts were typically older. Observers have linked the increase to personal spiritual searching, cultural interest in Christianity and the visibility of major liturgical celebrations.
In the United Kingdom, however, claims of a marked Christian revival among younger generations have become more contested. A widely cited Bible Society report suggesting a surge in church attendance among Generation Z was later withdrawn after problems were found in the underlying YouGov data. More recent commentary drawing on other survey evidence has argued that no clear revival has yet been demonstrated.
At the same time, broader questions of faith, identity and spirituality among younger Europeans remain open. The Spanish findings suggest that secularisation is not a simple one-way process. In Spain at least, tangible signs of a gradual shift in attitudes toward faith, identity, and spirituality among the young are emerging.
