Trust in others, legal system and politics; European comparison

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Personal characteristics Countries Evaluation of trust in Other people (score) Evaluation of trust in Legal system (score) Evaluation of trust in Police (score) Evaluation of trust in Politicians (score) Evaluation of trust in Parliament (score) Evaluation of trust in Political parties (score) Evaluation of trust in European Parliament (score) Evaluation of trust in United Nations (score) Percentage of people with trust in Other people (%) Percentage of people with trust in Legal system (%) Percentage of people with trust in Police (%) Percentage of people with trust in Politicians (%) Percentage of people with trust in Parliament (%) Percentage of people with trust in Political parties (%) Percentage of people with trust in European Parliament (%) Percentage of people with trust in United Nations (%)
Total Belgium 5.4 5.3 6.5 4.1 4.6 3.9 4.7 5.3 51 52 73 30 40 25 42 51
Bulgaria 3.7 3.9 5.1 2.2 2.4 2.2 4.5 4.7 22 31 46 6 8 6 31 35
Cyprus 4.1 4.3 5.1 2.7 3.9 2.5 4.5 4.1 24 34 48 10 23 8 37 31
Denmark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Germany 4.9 6.1 7.0 3.7 4.7 3.8 4.4 4.9 41 63 77 25 41 23 37 42
Estonia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Finland 6.8 7.3 8.2 5.3 6.4 5.4 5.8 6.4 78 83 93 52 71 52 60 70
France 4.5 5.0 6.4 3.7 4.1 3.4 4.2 5.1 30 45 68 20 28 15 30 44
Greece 4.5 5.4 6.0 2.7 3.2 2.8 4.1 4.3 30 54 64 11 15 11 28 32
Hungary 4.5 5.4 6.2 4.1 4.6 4.1 4.8 5.3 37 52 64 30 39 29 41 49
Ireland 5.4 5.7 6.4 4.2 5.0 4.2 5.2 5.4 53 58 69 33 45 30 49 52
Iceland 6.4 5.9 6.9 4.6 5.4 4.5 5.6 6.1 70 63 76 37 53 37 57 65
Israel 5.2 4.5 4.8 3.2 3.9 3.4 2.8 2.2 50 43 44 21 32 20 18 12
Italy 4.5 5.4 6.5 3.3 4.3 3.3 4.5 4.9 36 56 76 18 33 18 40 47
Kosovo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Croatia 4.6 3.1 5.4 2.0 3.0 2.1 4.2 4.8 34 15 47 6 16 6 31 39
Latvia 3.9 4.3 5.4 2.7 3.2 2.6 4.3 4.0 26 32 52 11 18 10 35 33
Lithuania 5.1 5.3 6.8 3.5 3.8 3.4 5.1 5.2 44 47 73 20 25 20 47 48
Montenegro 4.2 4.1 5.2 3.4 4.0 3.5 5.4 5.3 29 27 42 17 26 20 50 49
North Macedonia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Netherlands 6.2 6.5 7.1 4.9 5.3 5.0 5.2 5.9 70 75 86 46 54 48 53 66
Norway 6.5 7.4 7.6 5.3 6.5 5.4 5.6 7.0 72 83 87 50 69 52 54 80
Ukraine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Austria 6.0 6.7 7.1 4.0 5.3 3.9 4.6 5.1 63 73 78 26 49 26 38 48
Poland 4.6 4.0 5.3 2.9 3.9 3.0 3.9 4.9 33 26 46 12 24 13 27 40
Portugal 4.3 4.3 6.3 2.9 4.3 2.9 4.8 5.3 30 31 67 13 32 11 41 48
Russian Federation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Serbia 4.4 4.2 5.3 2.8 4.1 2.7 2.8 3.0 31 33 47 16 31 15 16 18
Slovenia 4.7 4.8 6.4 3.2 4.2 3.2 4.5 4.8 37 41 66 15 30 15 36 40
Slovakia 4.1 5.0 5.6 3.8 4.1 3.8 4.5 5.0 29 42 51 25 31 24 39 46
Spain 5.3 5.2 6.9 2.8 4.3 2.8 4.7 5.0 48 47 74 13 33 13 39 44
Czech Republic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
United Kingdom 5.4 5.6 5.9 3.1 3.8 3.3 4.0 5.1 51 56 61 15 27 16 29 48
Sweden 6.1 6.5 7.1 4.8 6.3 5.0 5.4 6.4 66 71 82 40 67 43 51 67
Switzerland 5.8 6.8 7.3 5.5 6.4 5.3 4.9 5.3 58 77 85 54 71 49 42 50
Sex: men Belgium 5.4 5.5 6.6 4.1 4.6 3.9 4.6 5.2 51 53 74 29 40 24 41 51
Bulgaria 3.5 3.9 4.9 2.0 2.3 2.1 4.3 4.6 18 31 45 5 7 5 28 32
Cyprus 4.4 4.2 5.1 2.7 3.8 2.6 4.3 3.9 27 33 47 9 21 8 37 27
Denmark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Germany 4.9 6.3 7.1 3.7 4.9 3.8 4.3 4.8 41 66 77 25 45 24 35 41
Estonia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Finland 6.8 7.4 8.2 5.2 6.4 5.2 5.5 6.3 77 85 92 49 70 49 55 68
France 4.6 5.2 6.4 3.8 4.2 3.4 4.0 5.0 33 47 70 19 30 14 30 44
Greece 4.6 5.3 5.9 2.8 3.4 2.9 4.1 4.2 32 53 62 12 17 13 28 32
Hungary 4.5 5.3 6.1 4.0 4.5 3.9 4.6 5.2 35 51 62 28 38 25 38 47
Ireland 5.5 5.8 6.1 4.2 5.1 4.2 5.1 5.3 56 61 65 34 49 32 50 50
Iceland 6.3 6.0 6.9 4.4 5.2 4.3 5.2 5.8 68 66 74 35 49 34 50 59
Israel 5.2 4.5 4.7 3.2 3.9 3.3 2.8 2.1 50 45 43 22 33 20 18 12
Italy 4.5 5.4 6.5 3.4 4.3 3.4 4.5 4.9 35 56 75 19 33 19 41 48
Kosovo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Croatia 4.6 3.0 5.2 2.1 3.1 2.2 4.1 4.6 34 14 44 7 18 7 29 36
Latvia 3.9 4.0 5.1 2.5 2.9 2.4 4.2 3.7 25 31 49 9 15 8 35 28
Lithuania 5.1 5.2 6.6 3.5 3.8 3.4 5.1 5.1 44 43 71 20 26 22 48 48
Montenegro 4.2 4.1 5.2 3.5 4.0 3.7 5.4 5.3 28 27 43 19 29 22 51 53
North Macedonia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Netherlands 6.3 6.7 7.2 4.9 5.4 5.1 5.1 5.9 71 77 86 46 55 48 50 67
Norway 6.5 7.5 7.5 5.2 6.5 5.3 5.5 6.9 73 85 85 52 71 52 55 76
Ukraine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Austria 6.1 6.7 7.1 3.9 5.3 3.8 4.5 5.1 64 74 76 26 51 25 37 48
Poland 4.6 4.0 5.1 2.9 3.9 2.9 3.8 4.8 35 24 44 12 25 13 26 39
Portugal 4.5 4.4 6.3 2.9 4.4 2.9 4.8 5.3 35 34 68 14 36 13 42 50
Russian Federation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Serbia 4.4 4.1 5.2 2.8 4.1 2.7 2.7 2.9 30 32 45 14 32 14 15 18
Slovenia 4.8 4.7 6.3 3.1 4.1 3.1 4.3 4.7 38 38 64 13 30 14 33 38
Slovakia 4.2 5.1 5.6 3.9 4.2 3.9 4.6 5.1 30 44 51 28 30 25 41 48
Spain 5.2 5.1 6.8 2.6 4.2 2.7 4.6 4.7 48 47 72 11 33 13 38 39
Czech Republic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
United Kingdom 5.5 5.9 6.0 3.2 4.0 3.4 4.1 5.2 54 60 63 16 29 17 31 51
Sweden 6.2 6.6 7.1 4.8 6.4 5.1 5.2 6.1 65 72 80 40 69 45 49 63
Switzerland 5.9 6.9 7.3 5.6 6.5 5.3 4.8 5.2 61 79 83 55 75 49 40 50
Sex: women Belgium 5.3 5.2 6.4 4.2 4.6 3.9 4.8 5.3 51 50 72 30 39 26 43 50
Bulgaria 3.9 4.0 5.3 2.3 2.5 2.4 4.7 4.8 26 32 48 7 9 8 33 38
Cyprus 3.8 4.3 5.1 2.7 3.9 2.4 4.6 4.3 21 35 48 11 24 8 37 35
Denmark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Germany 4.9 5.9 6.9 3.8 4.6 3.8 4.5 4.9 41 60 76 25 38 23 38 43
Estonia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Finland 6.8 7.2 8.3 5.4 6.4 5.5 6.1 6.6 79 81 94 55 72 54 64 72
France 4.3 4.9 6.3 3.7 4.1 3.4 4.4 5.1 27 43 67 21 26 16 31 45
Greece 4.4 5.5 6.1 2.6 3.1 2.7 4.0 4.3 29 55 65 9 13 9 28 33
Hungary 4.6 5.4 6.3 4.3 4.6 4.2 5.0 5.5 39 53 65 32 41 33 44 52
Ireland 5.4 5.6 6.6 4.2 4.9 4.1 5.2 5.5 51 56 73 31 42 29 49 55
Iceland 6.5 5.7 7.0 4.8 5.6 4.8 6.0 6.4 72 59 79 41 58 39 64 72
Israel 5.2 4.6 4.8 3.2 3.8 3.4 2.9 2.3 49 41 44 21 32 19 17 12
Italy 4.5 5.4 6.6 3.2 4.3 3.2 4.5 4.9 37 56 76 18 34 18 40 47
Kosovo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Croatia 4.6 3.2 5.6 1.9 2.9 2.0 4.3 4.9 33 17 51 5 15 6 34 42
Latvia 4.0 4.5 5.6 2.9 3.3 2.7 4.4 4.3 27 34 54 12 20 12 35 37
Lithuania 5.1 5.5 7.1 3.5 3.8 3.4 5.1 5.2 43 50 75 20 24 19 46 49
Montenegro 4.2 4.1 5.2 3.3 3.9 3.4 5.5 5.3 31 26 41 15 23 18 49 46
North Macedonia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Netherlands 6.1 6.3 7.0 4.9 5.2 5.0 5.3 5.9 68 73 86 47 53 48 55 66
Norway 6.5 7.3 7.7 5.3 6.4 5.4 5.7 7.1 71 82 89 48 68 51 54 83
Ukraine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Austria 5.9 6.7 7.2 4.0 5.2 4.0 4.7 5.1 63 72 79 26 47 27 39 48
Poland 4.5 4.1 5.4 2.9 3.9 3.0 3.9 5.0 32 27 48 13 24 13 29 41
Portugal 4.0 4.2 6.3 2.8 4.2 2.8 4.9 5.4 25 28 65 12 28 10 40 47
Russian Federation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Serbia 4.4 4.3 5.5 2.8 4.1 2.8 2.9 3.0 32 33 48 17 30 16 18 18
Slovenia 4.6 5.0 6.5 3.3 4.2 3.2 4.7 4.9 36 44 69 16 30 16 39 42
Slovakia 3.9 5.0 5.5 3.6 3.9 3.7 4.5 4.9 28 41 51 22 31 23 37 45
Source: ESS, Statistics Netherlands
Explanation of symbols

Table explanation


This table provides information on how much inhabitants of various European countries aged 15 years or older trust other people, the legal system and politics. Figures are from 2002 onwards. The question concerning trust in other people is: Overall, do you think most people can be trusted, or that you can’t be too careful?. Trust in the legal system and politics is determined by asking people how much they trust a number of political and organisational institutions, viz. national parliament, the legal system, the police, politicians, political parties, the European Parliament and the United Nations.
The figures in this table are based on the European Social Survey (ESS). The ESS is conducted every two years commissioned by the European Committee, the European Science Foundation and various national organisations for scientific research.

Data available from: 2002

Status of the figures:
The figures for 2024 are provisional. The figures from 2002 up to and including 2022 are final.

Changes as of: 31 July 2025
In an earlier version of the table, provisional figures were included under the year 2020. These figures were based on a preliminary publication by ESS from 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the round of ESS that was planned for 2020 was delayed and ended up coinciding with the round conducted in 2022. As a result, the 2020 and 2022 rounds were merged into a single round with data collected over 2020, 2021, and 2022. The results of this round were finalized in 2022. Therefore, in the revision of this table, the relevant figures are no longer listed under the year 2020, but have been correctly assigned to 2022, in accordance with the moment of finalization.The definitive figures for 2022 have been added.
The provisional figures for 2024 have been added.

When will new figures be published?
New figures will be published in 2027.

Description topics

Evaluation of trust in
Trust in other people and in a number of political and organisational institutions in terms of a mark from 0 to 10, where 0 equals no trust at all and 10 equals complete trust.
Other people
Figures show the average score in answer to the question: ‘Generally speaking, would you say that most people can be trusted, or that you can’t be too careful in dealing with people?’ 0 means you can’t be too careful, and 10 means that most people can be trusted.
Source: ESS
Legal system
Figures show the average score in answer to the question: ‘Can you give a score from 0-10 for how much you personally trust the legal system?’ 0 means you do not trust the legal system at all, and 10 means you have complete trust.
Source: ESS
Police
Figures show the average score in answer to the question: ‘Can you give a score from 0-10 for how much you personally trust the police?’ 0 means you do not trust the police at all, and 10 means you have complete trust.
Source: ESS
Politicians
Figures show the average score in answer to the question: ‘Can you give a score from 0-10 for how much you personally trust politicians?’ 0 means you do not trust politicians at all, and 10 means you have complete trust.
Source: ESS
Parliament
Figures show the average score in answer to the question: ‘Can you give a score from 0-10 for how much you personally trust national parliament?’ 0 means you do not trust national parliament at all, and 10 means you have complete trust.
Source: ESS
Political parties
Figures show the average score in answer to the question: ‘Can you give a score from 0-10 for how much you personally trust political parties?’ 0 means you do not trust political parties at all, and 10 means you have complete trust.
Source: ESS
European Parliament
Figures show the average score in answer to the question: ‘Can you give a score from 0-10 for how much you personally trust the European Parliament?’ 0 means you do not trust the European Parliament at all, and 10 means you have complete trust.
Source: ESS
United Nations
Figures show the average score in answer to the question: ‘Can you give a score from 0-10 for how much you personally trust the United Nations?’ 0 means you do not trust the United Nations at all, and 10 means you have complete trust.
Source: ESS

Percentage of people with trust in
The percentage of people assigning a score of 6 or higher in answer to the questions about trust in other people and a number of political and organisational institutions, where 0 means no trust at all and 10 means complete trust.
Other people
Figures show the percentage of people assigning a score of 6 or higher in answer to the question: ‘Generally speaking, would you say that most people can be trusted, or that you can’t be too careful in dealing with people?’ 0 means you can’t be too careful and 10 means that most people can be trusted.
Source: ESS
Legal system
Figures show the percentage of people assigning a score of 6 or higher in answer to the question: ‘How much do you personally trust the legal system?’ 0 means you do not trust the legal system at all, and 10 means you have complete trust.
Source: ESS
Police
Figures show the percentage of people assigning a score of 6 or higher in answer to the question: ‘How much do you personally trust the police?’ 0 means you do not trust the police at all, and 10 means you have complete trust.
Source: ESS
Politicians
Figures show the percentage of people assigning a score of 6 or higher in answer to the question: ‘How much do you personally trust politicians?’ 0 means you do not trust politicians at all, and 10 means you have complete trust.
Source: ESS
Parliament
Figures show the percentage of people assigning a score of 6 or higher in answer to the question: ‘How much do you personally trust the national parliament?’ 0 means you do not trust the national parliament at all, and 10 means you have complete trust.
Source: ESS
Political parties
Figures show the percentage of people assigning a score of 6 or higher in answer to the question: ‘How much do you personally trust political parties?’ 0 means you do not trust political parties at all, and 10 means you have complete trust.
Source: ESS
European Parliament
Figures show the percentage of people assigning a score of 6 or higher in answer to the question: ‘How much do you personally trust the European Parliament?’ 0 means you do not trust an institution at all, and 10 means you have complete trust.
Source: ESS
United Nations
Figures show the percentage of people assigning a score of 6 or higher in answer to the question: ‘How much do you personally trust the United Nations?’ 0 means you do not trust the United Nations at all, and 10 means you have complete trust.
Source: ESS