Fuerteventura in the Mirror: Youth, Disillusionment and the Rise of Ultra Discourses

Various social and educational groups on the island agree that a climate of growing polarization is emerging among young people, especially young men.

In the courtyards of several secondary schools and on the social networks they use daily, a portion of Fuerteventura’s youth is reproducing messages that only a few years ago were marginal. Comments that glorify the Franco dictatorship, question advances in gender equality, or blame the migrant population for social problems are appearing more frequently in everyday conversations.

Teachers, educators and social organisations concur that this is not an organised movement, but a growing trend, particularly among young men. The backdrop of precarious employment, difficulties accessing housing and a pervasive sense of having no future on the island fuels these attitudes.

A Constructed Nostalgia on Social Media

A school counsellor explains that he has heard debates among students describing Francoism as “something good” and the dictatorship as a solution to problems, in contrast to a democratic system they consider failed.

“Most of them do not have a real understanding of what that period meant; they repeat arguments they have seen in videos or forums,” he notes.

Social media has become the main source of political information for many adolescents. Short, emotive content offers simplified versions of the past and resonates with young people who have barely covered recent history in the classroom. Several teachers acknowledge that democratic memory occupies a very small space compared with the overwhelming influence of digital platforms.

Rejection of Diversity

The LGTBIQ+ community has detected an increase in intolerant attitudes among youths.

“We receive inquiries from boys and girls who prefer not to make themselves visible for fear of mockery or isolation,” they explain.

Conflicts related to sexual identity now surface more often than a few years ago, with ideas circulating that portray equality as an imposition or question the legitimacy of hard‑won rights. These arguments spread mainly through messaging groups and social networks.

Despite Fuerteventura’s long tradition of diverse origins, the migration debate has hardened. Social workers warn of a surge in rumors that claim migrants receive preferential access to public aid or cause rising insecurity.

“These messages catch on quickly because they tap into the feeling of competition for scarce resources,” they say.

Organizations that work with newly arrived residents alert that this climate hampers coexistence in neighborhoods where families of multiple origins live side by side.

A Resurgence of Machismo

Another trend highlighted by professionals is the revival of sexist discourse among adolescents. Youth activity monitors observe resistance to equality programmes and comments that portray men as victims of social change.

“There are boys who feel that their female classmates’ academic success or campaigns against gender‑based violence are directed against them,” an educator comments.

These perceptions surface in debates about romantic relationships, division of chores and authority in the classroom.

The economic backdrop underlies all these positions. Most youth employment on the island depends on tourism and is characterised by temporary contracts. Rental prices in municipalities such as Puerto del Rosario or Corralejo often exceed the income of those just starting to work.

“With a seasonal contract it is impossible to think about moving out on my own,” says a 23‑year‑old hospitality worker.

Many express a strong attachment to the island but doubt they can build a stable life there.

Municipalities and schools have launched coexistence workshops, historical‑memory programmes and affective‑sexual education activities. Professionals value these initiatives but consider them insufficient without concrete employment and housing policies that provide realistic horizons.

Fuerteventura today lives with a society in constant flux and a generation that struggles to find its place within it. Understanding this mismatch has become one of the island’s foremost social challenges.