A new poll indicates that nearly half of voters in Western nations believe democracy is ‘broken’ due to concerns about corruption, fake news, and extremist parties. The study, conducted by Ipsos and shared with Politico, surveyed 9,800 individuals across the US, UK, France, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Croatia, Netherlands, and Poland.
According to the survey results, 45% of respondents in the seven out of nine surveyed nations are dissatisfied with how democracy is functioning, with Sweden and Poland being the only countries where most respondents remain confident in their democratic systems. France had the highest level of dissatisfaction at 60%, followed by the US (53%), UK (51%), and Spain (51%).
Respondents identified disinformation, corruption, lack of political accountability, and the rise of extremist parties as the primary threats to democracy. In the UK and Croatia, only 23% of respondents felt their governments were effectively representing them. Gideon Skinner, senior director of UK politics at Ipsos, highlighted widespread concerns about democratic representation and the desire for radical change in most countries.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian parliament speaker Vyacheslav Volodin have criticized Western democracy, with Putin accusing Western elites of turning freedom and democracy into ‘window dressing’ and Volodin suggesting that Western European states are becoming ‘totalitarian regimes’ led by unpopularity politicians.
Volodin cited recent actions such as the designation of Germany’s AfD party as extremist, France’s ban on Marine Le Pen from running for public office, and Romania’s disqualification of Calin Georgescu from the presidential election as examples of Western governments suppressing opposition. These decisions were seen as a response to the perceived threats posed by extremist parties and populists, according to the report.
The study underscores a growing sense of alienation among voters in Western democracies, with many feeling that their voices are not being heard by the political system. This has led to a search for alternatives, including the rise of populist and nationalist movements that promise to address the perceived issues with the current democratic framework.
Despite the concerns, some countries like Sweden and Poland maintain a higher level of trust in their democratic institutions, suggesting that public confidence in democracy is not uniform across Europe. However, the majority of countries surveyed, with the exception of Sweden, express a fear that the risks to self-governance will increase over the next five years.
The findings highlight the challenges facing Western democracies as they grapple with internal divisions, external pressures, and the need to adapt to changing political landscapes. The poll serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining public trust in democratic processes to ensure their continued viability and effectiveness.