This policy brief, based on the CONNEKT project’s micro-level analysis of Violent Extremism (VE) drivers, offers nuanced recommendations for Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE). Drawing from non-representative surveys in the MENA region and the Balkans, involving 1,244 and 1,604 participants respectively, the paper explores the seven VE drivers identified by CONNEKT and their intersections with social contexts such as socialisation/education, economic relations, urban spaces, artistic and cultural creation, justice systems, ethnic communities, and political and social participation. Emphasising local communities, the analysis informs recommendations for PVE policies, particularly directing attention to civil society organizations (CSOs) as key actors in fostering local community efforts. Recognising the pivotal role of CSOs, the recommendations aim to enhance local ownership at national and local levels, extending to national authorities and European Union (EU) policymakers for multi-stakeholder engagement.
The findings underscore political grievances and economic deprivation as significant VE drivers, influenced by ethnic relations, institutional trust, transnational dynamics, and social digitalisation. The report addresses limitations due to deteriorating regional perceptions of international actors´ functionality, including the EU, after the assault on Gaza; local political constraints in Egypt and Tunisia; and the absence of gender-segregated data in the Balkans. This paper can be read in conjunction with the policy paper on macro-level drivers of VE and the policy paper on preventing micro-level drivers of VE.
