One in five Europeans believes that in certain cases, dictatorship is better than democracy. This is evidenced by the results of a survey conducted by the sociological company AboutPeople on behalf of the Progressive Lab analytical center in five countries: Greece, France, Sweden, Great Britain, and Romania, UNN reports with reference to Politico.
Details
It is noted that sociologists found widespread dissatisfaction with how democracy works in practice, rather than with democracy itself: for example, about 76 percent of Greeks expressed dissatisfaction with how democracy works in their country, compared to 68 percent in France, 66 percent in Romania, 42 percent in Great Britain, and 32 percent in Sweden.
Traditional divisions between European countries are diminishing, and the situation is becoming more complex. Countries like Romania, which have experienced rapid economic growth in recent years, do not seem to show greater confidence in liberal democracy. Wealthy countries like Sweden are facing pressure on their democratic institutions and a decline in citizens' trust in them. France, and to a lesser extent Great Britain, are experiencing a deep crisis. Greece seems to be uncomfortably balancing between a general crisis of trust in its institutions and a somewhat vague belief in the ideals of democracy.
It is indicated that in addition to one in five - 22 percent - saying that in certain cases, dictatorship might be their preferred option, one in four - 26 percent - also agreed with the statement: "If my country had a capable and effective leader, I would not object if he limited democratic rights and was not accountable to citizens for his actions."
At the same time, resistance to the idea of authoritarian rule remains strong, with 69 percent of respondents rejecting the proposal.
The survey does not express general dissatisfaction or uncritical rejection of the democratic system. It expresses citizens' dissatisfaction with how it works, with clear anti-elite and "anti-establishment" characteristics.
Regarding trust in institutions, the European Union showed the best results with 43 percent, ahead of the media with 27 percent and political parties with 24 percent. A third of respondents disagreed with the view that the growing popularity of the far-right poses a danger to democracy.
Recall
Last year, a study by the "European Movement" showed that only a third of citizens in the largest EU countries consistently support democratic values. 64% of respondents do not rule out the advantages of authoritarian rule, but almost half support the idea of European defense integration.