Mexico youth report high levels of social and institutional disaffiliation

The ‘Jóvenes en México 2026’ study, conducted by Fundación SM and the Observatorio de la Juventud en Iberoamérica, reveals a significant sense of “disaffiliation” among Mexican youth. Approximately 38.7% of individuals aged 15 to 29 report feeling as though they “do not belong anywhere,” a phenomenon linked to the weakening of traditional institutions such as schools, workplaces, and political spaces. Researcher José Antonio Pérez Islas noted that these adult-built institutions are failing to meet the needs of new generations.

The report highlights severe socio-economic challenges, noting that 14.3% of this demographic—roughly 4.5 million people—are neither in school nor employed. Furthermore, labor conditions remain precarious; many young workers earn only one to two minimum wages, and a large portion of the workforce faces informality. While the family remains a primary support network, the disconnect from formal educational and professional structures poses a long-term challenge for social integration in Mexico.