Europe is ceasing to believe in democracy, and this comes as no surprise. Europeans are increasingly disappointed with how the democratic system works in practice. Not in theory, but in real life.
According to the latest poll published by POLITICO, one in five Europeans believes that in some cases dictatorship is preferable to democracy. One in four is willing to sacrifice democratic rights for the sake of effective governance.
“It does not matter what the regime is called—what matters is that the state functions and ensures stability and a high standard of living,” is how ordinary citizens articulate their demand.
Democratic procedures, freedoms, and institutions become secondary if they do not deliver what matters most: security and social protection.
Geography and Trends
The study covered only five countries: Greece, France, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Romania.
It is clear that the authors deliberately segmented Europe into regions—north, south, west, and east—to capture the “average temperature” across the continent.
But the question arises: what would Germany, Italy, Poland, Moldova, or Bulgaria have shown? The results would likely be even more alarming.
Already, dissatisfaction with how democracy functions ranges from 76% in Greece to 32% in Sweden, with 68% of the French, 66% of Romanians, and 42% of Britons also expressing frustration.
“Countries like Romania, with high economic growth, do not appear to strengthen faith in liberal democracy. In wealthy countries like Sweden, democratic institutions are under pressure, and public trust in them is declining,” notes Professor Dimitris Papadimitriou from the University of Manchester.
Populism and “Effective Power”
The rise in distrust toward democracy coincides with the popularity of populist and nationalist movements.
One in five (22%) states that in some cases dictatorship may be preferable. One in four (26%) agrees with the statement: “If my country had a capable and effective leader, I would not mind them restricting democratic rights and not being accountable to citizens.”
At the same time, the idea of authoritarian rule is still rejected by the majority: 69% completely oppose such an approach.
As George Siakas from the Democritus University of Thrace explains, the poll reflects citizens’ dissatisfaction with how democracy works, not with the democratic system itself. Anti-elite and anti-government sentiments are strong.
Trust in Institutions
Interestingly, among all institutions, the European Union enjoys the highest level of trust among Europeans at 43%, while only 27% trust the media, and 24% trust political parties.
This speaks less to the strength of the EU and more to the depth of the crisis facing national elites.
One third of respondents do not see the rise of the far right as a threat to democracy. The greatest sense of alienation from political parties is felt by Greeks at 55%, followed by Romanians at 53%, Britons at 47%, the French at 43%, and Swedes at 32%.
What This All Means
Europe is undergoing a phase in which the type of regime and form of government are becoming secondary, while society’s primary demand is effectiveness and stability.
“Europeans care more about whether the state actually works than about upholding the ideological norms of democracy,” sums up the position of the majority.
For populists, this is a golden moment: promises of stability, predictability, and security are becoming powerful arguments in political struggle.
Europeans are tired of democracy without results. And it is no wonder: democracy has stopped believing in people.
