Populists in Europe – especially those on the right – have increased their vote shares in recent elections
Elections in Italy and Sweden have underscored the growing electoral strength that populist parties have displayed in Europe in recent years.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Elections in Italy and Sweden have underscored the growing electoral strength that populist parties have displayed in Europe in recent years.
The share of the public that supports authoritarian systems ranges from 85% in India to 8% in Sweden.
We asked respondents in both countries to, in their own words, define what democracy means to them. Most commonly, people mention three broad concepts: freedom and human rights, elections and procedures, and having a voice in government.
In the U.S., concerns about political corruption are especially widespread. Two-in-three Americans agree that the phrase “most politicians are corrupt” describes their country well.
Most think social media has made it easier to manipulate and divide people, but they also say it informs and raises awareness.
Across 11 questions on cultural subjects, the gap between the left and right in the U.S. is wider than in the European countries surveyed.
Many legislators in four English-speaking countries directly addressed George Floyd’s killing and the subsequent protests on Twitter.
Though younger people tend to be more internationally oriented than older adults, they differ from one another over how they want their country to engage with the world.
Americans and Western Europeans largely agree about what is important for democracy, but they put greater emphasis on these principles than Central and Eastern Europeans.
Thirty years ago, a wave of optimism swept across Europe as walls and regimes fell, and long-oppressed publics embraced open societies, open markets and a more united Europe. Three decades later, a new Pew Research Center survey finds that few people in the former Eastern Bloc regret the monumental changes of 1989-1991.
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