ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with an extended current social phenomenon in Europe: the difficult transition of young people into adulthood. Particularly, in Southern Europe young people have difficulty in finding stable employment and in creating their own independent households; thus the family formation process is delayed and for some young people it will not be possible to create a family at all. Delayed emancipation of young people from their family of origin is seen as a problem especially because of its consequences for the demography of the societies affected. Finally, the chapter also provides an overview of this book. The book shows relevant context differences between France and Spain, and discusses the results of individual-level statistical analysis. It presents regional variations within France and Spain, and proposes an explanation for Spanish regional differences in intergenerational co-residence. The book offers an explanation of the mechanisms through which young people's nest-leaving is facilitated by public benefits.
