On November 14, a large-scale public opinion poll conducted by Ipsos - the world's leading market research and public opinion survey company based in France - released an alarming result: About 45% of respondents in many EU countries, along with the UK and US, are unhappy with the democratic reality in their country.
The results of the survey, published by Politico, showed a gloomy picture of political confidence in the West's pillars. The highest level of dissatisfaction was recorded in France, where up to 60% of people expressed concern about democratic institutions. Following them are the US (53%), UK (51%), and Spain (51%). Only two countries are going against this trend, Poland and Sweden, where the majority of people are satisfied.
What is more worrying is not only the dissatisfaction in the present, but also the deep pessimism about the future. An overwhelming proportion of people in France (86%), Spain (80%) , Poland (75%) and the UK (75%) believe that their democratic situation will get worse in the next 5 years.
When asked about the biggest threats, people listed 3 leading factors: false information, corruption, and lack of accountability of leaders. Ipsos expert Gideon Skinner stressed that many people are concerned about the performance of democratic institutions and "feel overlooked", especially by national governments. He added that a desire for sweeping change is being witnessed in most countries.
It is the discovery of this "willing to change completely" and this feeling of "ignorance" that helps explain the current political context in the West. In the US, deep division and dissatisfaction with Washington led to tight elections, a stalemate in Congress, and a government shutdown in October.
In Europe, dissatisfaction with the policies of the "e class" in Brussels has fueled the rise of right-wing or nationalism parties in many countries, including Germany, France and Italy.
Issues such as the cost of living crisis, immigration, and the sense that governments are prioritizing global issues rather than domestic pressing issues are said to be eroding voters' confidence.
The Ipsos survey shows a clear disconnect between the people and their leaders.
The survey was conducted from September 12 to 29, collecting the opinions of 9,800 participants from France, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Croatia, Poland, the Netherlands, the UK and the US.
