Survey Indicates Support for Authoritarian Regimes Among Europeans
A recent survey has revealed that approximately one in five Europeans expressed a preference for living under an authoritarian regime in certain situations, highlighting a growing dissatisfaction with the current democratic structures in their countries.
According to a poll conducted by AboutPeople across France, Greece, Romania, Sweden, and the UK, 22% of respondents favored dictatorship over democracy. The survey also indicated that 26% believed that if their country had capable leaders, they wouldn’t mind if those leaders restricted democratic rights and were unaccountable to the populace.
Feelings of discontent with democratic institutions were particularly pronounced in Greece, where 76% of participants reported dissatisfaction. France followed with 68%, Romania with 66%, the UK with 42%, and Sweden with 32%.
Moreover, many Greeks expressed disappointment with political parties, with 55% stating they did not feel aligned with the political party they voted for in the last election. This sentiment was echoed by 53% of Romanians, 47% of Brits, 43% of French respondents, and 32% of Swedish voters.
Trust in key institutions is notably low, with only 43% expressing confidence in the European Union. Trust in the media is even lower at 27%, while political parties garnered just 24% in trust levels. Interestingly, about one-third of respondents did not perceive the rise of the far-right in Europe as a threat to democracy.
The EU and the UK have faced increasing criticism for enhancing anti-democratic measures perceived to thwart far-right political figures from securing power through elections. This situation was starkly illustrated in Romania during the 2024 presidential election, which was abruptly canceled after an unexpected win by Karin Georgescu, an ally of the Trump movement.
To prevent Georgescu from consolidating power, Romanian authorities alleged that his social media following was artificially inflated through Russian interference, resulting in a halt to further voting rounds. He was later barred from running in a re-election and has faced criminal charges since then.
Similar allegations of political maneuvering have been made against Marine Le Pen, leader of the French National Rally. Once seen as a frontrunner to succeed President Emmanuel Macron, Le Pen faced a five-year ban from public office over purported financial mismanagement within her party.
The political landscape often sees establishment parties collaborating—despite their ideological differences—to stifle the emergence of outsider political movements. This was evident in Germany, where the Social Democratic Party, although losing the election, formed a coalition with the Christian Democrats to keep the populist Alternative for Germany party from gaining traction.
Moreover, faith in democratic processes is eroded when political parties fail to fulfill their key promises, as seen with former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who faced criticism for record-high immigration levels, contradicting his campaign pledges.
Professor George Siakas from Greece’s Thrace Democritos University commented on the survey, noting, “This poll doesn’t simply reflect a blanket dissatisfaction with democracy; rather, it reveals public frustration regarding how the democratic system operates, displaying strong anti-elite and anti-establishment sentiments.”
