Widespread Discontent with Democratic Systems
A comprehensive international survey has uncovered profound public dissatisfaction with how democracy is functioning across the Western world. The Ipsos State of Democracy survey, which polled almost 10,000 people across nine countries, found that satisfaction with democracy falls below 50% in eight out of the nine nations studied.
Gideon Skinner, senior director of UK politics at Ipsos, commented on the concerning results: "Despite strong support for democratic ideals across many countries, the public are clearly disappointed with how democracy is working in practice and worried about its future."
Key Findings from the International Poll
The research revealed alarmingly low levels of satisfaction with how democracy currently operates. Fewer than a third of respondents in six countries expressed contentment:
- Croatia: 18%
- France: 19%
- United States: 20%
- United Kingdom: 26%
- Spain: 27%
- Italy: 29%
Opinions appeared divided in the Netherlands (36% satisfied, 37% dissatisfied) and Poland (40% satisfied, 31% dissatisfied). Sweden stood as the sole exception, where a significant majority of 65% reported satisfaction with their democratic system.
When assessing recent democratic performance, more people across all nine countries believed democracy had deteriorated over the past five years rather than improved. This sentiment proved particularly strong in France and the Netherlands, both nations that experienced government collapses during the survey period. Poland represented the only country where more people felt democracy had improved (42%) rather than worsened (30%).
Major Threats and Calls for Reform
The survey identified four primary threats to democratic systems: fake news, lack of political accountability, extremism, and corruption. Disinformation emerged as the predominant concern in several nations, including the United Kingdom (64%), Sweden (67%), and Poland (76%). Meanwhile, corruption ranked as the top threat in the United States (63%) and southern European countries like Spain (73%) and Croatia (80%).
Looking ahead, substantial majorities in all countries except Sweden expressed worry about democracy's future state within five years. France showed the highest level of concern at 86%, followed by Spain (80%), with the United Kingdom and Poland both registering 75%.
Despite these concerns, strong support for democratic principles remains across most countries, with clear majorities affirming that democracy remains crucial to society and worth defending. However, this support coexists with a powerful desire for radical change, particularly in Croatia (69%), France (66%), and the United Kingdom (60%).
Among potential solutions, respondents highlighted several key measures to strengthen democratic systems:
- Stronger anti-corruption laws and enforcement
- Enhanced regulation of social media platforms
- Improved civic education programmes
- Protection of judicial independence
The survey also revealed widespread sentiment that political systems appear rigged in favour of the rich and powerful rather than working for everyone, underscoring the depth of public frustration with current democratic practices.
