(MENAFN) On the 50th anniversary of the passing of Spanish dictator Francisco Franco, a survey published Thursday revealed that younger generations are increasingly expressing sympathy for his regime.

The research indicated that 24% of Gen Z participants, aged 18 to 28, and 23% of Millennials, aged 29 to 44, believe that an authoritarian government can sometimes be more desirable than democracy.

Nevertheless, in both age groups, 65% stated that democracy is preferable.

The contrast with older age groups is striking. Among Gen X, aged 45 to 60, 75% support democracy while 16% show favor toward authoritarianism. For Baby Boomers, aged 61 and above, 84% back democracy, with only 12% endorsing dictatorship.

Gender differences were also notable, with men across generations significantly more inclined to view the Francoist regime in a positive light.

The survey, carried out for a Spanish daily newspaper and a broadcaster, additionally highlighted substantial generational gaps in historical awareness.

Older generations demonstrated far greater knowledge of the restrictions on freedoms under Franco. For example, around 40% of Gen Z respondents were unaware that divorce was prohibited during the dictatorship, compared with just 11% of Baby Boomers.

Knowledge of key historical events was also lower among younger people.

While 95% of participants acknowledged familiarity with poet Federico Garcia Lorca, nearly half of younger respondents did not know he was executed by forces loyal to Franco, whereas roughly a quarter of those aged 61 and older were unaware.

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