Trust in others, legal system and politics; European comparison

Trust in others, legal system and politics; European comparison

Personal characteristics Countries Periods Evaluation of trust in Political parties (score) Percentage of people with trust in Political parties (%)
Total Belgium 2018* 4.3 29
Total Bulgaria 2018* 2.2 7
Total Cyprus 2018* 2.7 10
Total Denmark 2018* 5.3 49
Total Germany 2018* 4.0 24
Total Estonia 2018* 3.7 18
Total Finland 2018* 5.0 47
Total France 2018* 3.1 11
Total Greece 2018*
Total Hungary 2018* 3.9 26
Total Ireland 2018* 3.9 26
Total Iceland 2018* 4.3 32
Total Israel 2018*
Total Italy 2018* 2.9 14
Total Kosovo 2018*
Total Croatia 2018* 1.9 4
Total Latvia 2018* 2.6 8
Total Lithuania 2018* 2.9 15
Total Montenegro 2018* 3.0 15
Total The Netherlands 2018* 5.4 55
Total Norway 2018* 5.4 51
Total Ukraine 2018*
Total Austria 2018* 4.1 24
Total Poland 2018* 3.2 15
Total Portugal 2018* 2.8 13
Total Russian Federation 2018*
Total Serbia 2018* 2.5 14
Total Slovenia 2018* 2.7 10
Total Slovakia 2018* 3.5 23
Total Spain 2018* 2.5 8
Total Czech Republic 2018* 3.6 22
Total United Kingdom 2018* 3.6 19
Total Sweden 2018* 5.0 42
Total Switzerland 2018* 5.2 45
Sex: men Belgium 2018* 4.2 29
Sex: men Bulgaria 2018* 2.1 7
Sex: men Cyprus 2018* 2.6 10
Sex: men Denmark 2018* 5.3 48
Sex: men Germany 2018* 4.0 26
Sex: men Estonia 2018* 3.6 17
Sex: men Finland 2018* 5.0 47
Sex: men France 2018* 3.1 11
Sex: men Greece 2018*
Sex: men Hungary 2018* 4.0 27
Sex: men Ireland 2018* 3.9 27
Sex: men Iceland 2018* 4.2 32
Sex: men Israel 2018*
Sex: men Italy 2018* 3.0 15
Sex: men Kosovo 2018*
Sex: men Croatia 2018* 2.0 5
Sex: men Latvia 2018* 2.7 10
Sex: men Lithuania 2018* 2.7 14
Sex: men Montenegro 2018* 2.8 15
Sex: men The Netherlands 2018* 5.4 54
Sex: men Norway 2018* 5.3 50
Sex: men Ukraine 2018*
Sex: men Austria 2018* 4.2 25
Sex: men Poland 2018* 3.0 13
Sex: men Portugal 2018* 2.8 13
Sex: men Russian Federation 2018*
Sex: men Serbia 2018* 2.5 14
Sex: men Slovenia 2018* 2.7 9
Sex: men Slovakia 2018* 3.6 24
Sex: men Spain 2018* 2.5 8
Sex: men Czech Republic 2018* 3.7 23
Sex: men United Kingdom 2018* 3.6 19
Sex: men Sweden 2018* 5.0 45
Sex: men Switzerland 2018* 5.2 46
Sex: women Belgium 2018* 4.3 28
Sex: women Bulgaria 2018* 2.2 6
Sex: women Cyprus 2018* 2.8 10
Sex: women Denmark 2018* 5.4 51
Sex: women Germany 2018* 4.0 22
Sex: women Estonia 2018* 3.9 19
Sex: women Finland 2018* 5.1 47
Sex: women France 2018* 3.0 10
Sex: women Greece 2018*
Sex: women Hungary 2018* 3.8 25
Sex: women Ireland 2018* 3.8 24
Sex: women Iceland 2018* 4.4 32
Sex: women Israel 2018*
Sex: women Italy 2018* 2.9 13
Sex: women Kosovo 2018*
Sex: women Croatia 2018* 1.8 4
Sex: women Latvia 2018* 2.5 7
Sex: women Lithuania 2018* 3.0 15
Sex: women Montenegro 2018* 3.1 16
Sex: women The Netherlands 2018* 5.4 57
Sex: women Norway 2018* 5.5 51
Sex: women Ukraine 2018*
Sex: women Austria 2018* 4.0 22
Sex: women Poland 2018* 3.3 16
Sex: women Portugal 2018* 2.9 12
Sex: women Russian Federation 2018*
Sex: women Serbia 2018* 2.5 13
Sex: women Slovenia 2018* 2.7 10
Sex: women Slovakia 2018* 3.4 23
Sex: women Spain 2018* 2.5 9
Sex: women Czech Republic 2018* 3.6 21
Sex: women United Kingdom 2018* 3.5 19
Source: ESS, Statistics Netherlands
Explanation of symbols

Dataset is not available.


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:
Figures of 2018 are preliminary. Figures of 2002 until 2016 are definite.

Changes as of 30 July 2021.
The preliminary figures of 2016 are corrected and made definite. Figures of 2018 are new.

When will new figures be published?
New figures will be published in 2023. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most countries postponed their survey..


New figures will be published at the end of 2021. This will be preliminary figures of 2020, with most
countries going into the field one year later due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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.
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
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.
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