INSCOP Survey: Romanians trust the Army and the Church in the first two places, followed by NATO and the European Union

The Army and the Church remain the institutions in which Romanians have the highest trust, a status they held ten years ago. They are followed by NATO and the EU, while the Government and Parliament are at the bottom positions, with considerably lower confidence compared to ten years ago, according to a survey conducted by INSCOP commissioned by News.ro.   “There is a lower trust in the Government and Parliament in 2023 compared to 2013, a situation perfectly explained given the current assessment is made after a period of successive crises (pandemic, economic crisis, social difficulties, government changes) that have eroded the trust of Romanians,” says INSCOP Director Remus ?tefureac. The military is the institution in which Romanians have the highest level of trust, with 70.4% stating they have a high and very high level of trust in this institution (compared to 65.4% in 2013), followed by the Church with 62.5% (compared to 65.2% in 2013). The trust ranking is followed by two international institutions, namely NATO with 55.4% high and very high confidence (compared to 52.1% in 2013) and the European Union with 50.3% (compared to 49.3% in 2013).   In the following positions, we find the Police with 48.6% (compared to 46% in 2013), the National Bank of Romania with 43.3% (compared to 51.2% in 2013), the City Hall with 41% (compared to 39.6% in 2013), and the Presidency with 29.8% (compared to 25.8% in 2013).   At the bottom positions are the Government with 19.4% high and very high confidence (compared to 34.8% in 2013) and the Parliament with 17.4% high and very high confidence (compared to 26.7% in 2013) The trust (high and very high) of Romanians in domestic and international institutions and organizations reflects exceptional stability over the past 10 years.   “The trust ranking of the top four institutions has remained unchanged from 2013 to the present, with the Army and the Church in the top two positions, followed by NATO and the European Union. Trust in the Army and NATO has increased compared to 2013, a development that is natural given the current security context marked by the war in Ukraine. Trust in more political institutions – the Presidency, Government, and Parliament – is influenced by the specific contexts of political moments when the data were collected (2013 and 2023, respectively). There is a lower trust observed in the Government and Parliament in 2023 compared to 2013, a situation that is perfectly explainable given the current assessment is made after a period of successive crises (pandemic, economic crisis, social difficulties, government changes) that have eroded the trust of Romanians,” stated Remus Stefureac, director of INSCOP Research.