The article shows the experience of European countries in using the opportunities and resources of the education system in the formation of the legal culture of young people. The features of the participation of the education system and other participants in educational and socio-political relations in this process are revealed. The content of legal education of young people is marked out, its purpose is established, the role of the subjects of this process is characterized, the directions and mechanisms for achieving the goals are shown. The methodological basis of the article is the theoretical developments of Russian and foreign researchers. The article is based on general philosophical and socio-humanitarian methods of analysis.