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The global decline in trust in parliaments and governments threatens the stability of democracy, contributing to the rise of populism and authoritarian tendencies.
A study by the University of Southampton, covering 143 countries and analyzing over 5 million respondents, confirmed a noticeable decline in trust in representative democratic institutionsInstead, trust in unrepresentative structures, such as the police and the legal system, remains stable or even increasesThis indicates that the crisis of trust concerns elected authorities, which may contribute to the spread of authoritarian tendencies.
Distrust in government often correlates with support for populist leaders, which threatens democratic processesIt also makes it difficult to respond effectively to global challenges such as climate change or the COVID-19 pandemic.
Analysis of regional trends demonstrates a sharp decline in trust in parliaments in the US, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Brazil and South KoreaIn general, in democratic countries Trust in parliaments fell by 9% from 1990 to 2019, while trust in the police increased by 13%. Some countries, in particular Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and New Zealand show the opposite trend., maintaining or even increasing the level of trust in state institutions.
The 2008 financial crisis was a turning point for political trust. Trust in governments has plummeted since the crisis, especially in Europe and Latin America. In the UK, a temporary increase in trust was recorded after the Brexit referendum, but this trend subsequently declined again.
Professor Will Jennings emphasizes that Declining trust in democratic institutions is not an inevitable process. “If citizens don’t trust how democratic politics is carried out, perhaps it needs to be reformed, not dismantled,” – he concludes. Therefore, the key task for democratic countries is strengthening transparency, accountability and inclusiveness of political processes.
Trust in Democratic Institutions Falls Worldwide appeared first on Curiosity.
