Trust in others, legal system and politics; European comparison

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Trust in others, legal system and politics; European comparison
Personal characteristics Countries Periods 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 2014 43 47 66 29 43 28 42 47
Total Belgium 2016 48 52 73 28 42 27 39 50
Total Denmark 2014 76 83 87 43 60 46 40 66
Total Denmark 2016 . . . . . . . .
Total Germany 2014 44 58 75 24 45 24 29 38
Total Germany 2016 49 64 79 28 49 27 32 40
Total Estonia 2014 49 45 61 16 31 15 32 38
Total Estonia 2016 53 55 73 19 33 17 33 43
Total Finland 2014 76 75 90 38 55 39 39 66
Total Finland 2016 77 82 93 42 59 43 49 70
Total France 2014 33 47 65 9 26 9 25 45
Total France 2016 30 43 70 10 26 9 22 40
Total Hungary 2014 30 38 47 17 26 16 41 49
Total Hungary 2016 34 51 67 26 36 21 34 42
Total Ireland 2014 48 48 66 17 24 16 37 51
Total Ireland 2016 55 54 67 24 34 22 42 57
Total Lithuania 2014 42 36 55 15 19 15 49 53
Total Lithuania 2016 51 43 62 20 25 18 52 55
Total The Netherlands 2014 66 67 77 46 53 45 38 60
Total The Netherlands 2016 68 71 82 50 60 52 41 61
Total Austria 2014 42 55 68 19 37 18 23 33
Total Austria 2016 51 69 80 22 40 21 25 36
Total Poland 2014 23 19 42 5 11 4 20 35
Total Poland 2016 27 23 54 7 17 7 24 38
Total Portugal 2014 20 27 53 8 18 8 21 38
Total Portugal 2016 24 28 61 9 26 11 31 51
Total Slovenia 2014 25 18 51 4 14 4 21 28
Total Slovenia 2016 31 23 60 8 17 8 26 31
Total Spain 2014 38 29 65 8 24 7 26 41
Total Spain 2016 42 28 71 10 28 9 31 40
Total Czech Republic 2014 34 39 55 17 27 18 30 39
Total Czech Republic 2016 47 46 57 21 31 20 32 46
Total United Kingdom 2014 48 55 67 20 34 19 17 43
Total United Kingdom 2016 49 62 73 22 37 21 23 50
Total Sweden 2014 66 69 77 43 66 44 37 68
Total Sweden 2016 67 67 75 38 60 38 37 64
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 2020 are preliminary. Figures of 2002 until 2018 are definite.

Changes as of 5 April 2024.
The preliminary figures of 2018 are corrected and made definite. Figures of 2020 are new.

When will new figures be published?
New figures will be published in 2025.

Description topics

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