Only 36% of Europeans support democracy, the rest lean towards authoritarianism - Politico

Only a third of citizens in the largest EU countries consistently support democratic values. More and more people are leaning towards the idea of a "strong leader" rather than a system of checks and balances. This is evidenced by a study by the non-governmental organization "European Movement", reports UNN with reference to Politico.

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The low percentage of consistent support for democracy is indeed concerning. However, this does not mean that our fellow citizens are anti-democratic. But they are frustrated, disempowered, and disappointed. And these are precisely the things that sow the seeds of authoritarianism

64% of respondents stated that they do not rule out the preference for authoritarian rule or the idea of a strong hand in governing the state. This is an alarming signal, especially against the backdrop of the growing popularity of populist and far-right parties in Europe.

The highest level of support for democratic values was recorded in Sweden - 52%. In other countries, the situation is worse: in France and Romania, only 30% of citizens consider themselves consistent democrats. In Spain, less than 25% of residents support the democratic regime.

At the same time, the study also revealed positive signals: despite the crisis of trust in democracy, almost half of the respondents support the idea of European defense integration. In particular, this refers to joint EU armed forces to respond to threats from Russia and counter disinformation.

The data shows that it may be time for political elites in Brussels, Paris, Berlin, and other cities to realize that more people than they thought want an EU army

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