Abstract
This study examines the determinants of youth unemployment (ages 15–24) in Romania over the period 1991–2025 by analyzing the relationship between the youth unemployment rate and three macroeconomic indicators: GDP growth, inflation, and the level of investment. The analysis is based on annual data obtained from the World Bank database and employs a multiple linear regression model, including tests of statistical significance, multicollinearity, and a specification with one-year lagged variables. The empirical findings show that youth unemployment in Romania followed a cyclical pattern influenced by major economic events, including the post-communist transition, Romania's accession to the European Union, the global financial crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic. GDP growth becomes marginally significant, with the expected negative coefficient, when introduced into the model with a one-year lag, suggesting that macroeconomic effects on the youth labor market occur with a delay. The results indicate that youth unemployment is determined not only by macroeconomic conditions but also by structural factors, such as skills mismatches between young workers and employers' requirements, labor market institutions, and youth labor migration. Consequently, reducing youth unemployment requires sustained and well-targeted public policies that address both short-term economic fluctuations and long-term structural challenges.
Cuvinte cheie
youth unemployment
GDP growth
inflation
investments.
Istoric articol
Publicat
31.08.2026
Informații autori
Citare recomandată
Tiberiu-Cristian Avrămescu (2026). Econometric Analysis of the Macroeconomic Determinants of Youth Unemployment in Romania (1991–2025). Constantin Brâncuși University of Târgu Jiu Economics Series, 2(1), 42–51. https://doi.org/10.65631/jes.4.2026.3
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