Dissatisfaction with democracy remains widespread in many nations
Across 12 high-income countries, a median of 64% of adults say they are dissatisfied with the way their democracy is working, while a median of 35% are satisfied.
Democracy
Sign up for our weekly newsletter
Fresh data delivered Saturday mornings
All
Democracy
Publications
-
Americans’ Dismal Views of the Nation’s Politics
Americans’ views of politics and elected officials are unrelentingly negative, with little hope of improvement on the horizon. 65% of Americans say they always or often feel exhausted when thinking about politics. By contrast, just 10% say they always or often feel hopeful about politics.
-
Americans differ by party, ideology over the impact of social media on U.S. democracy
74% of Republicans say social media has been more of a bad thing for U.S. democracy, compared with a smaller majority of Democrats (57%).
-
Social Media Seen as Mostly Good for Democracy Across Many Nations, But U.S. is a Major Outlier
Most think social media has made it easier to manipulate and divide people, but they also say it informs and raises awareness.
-
In advanced and emerging economies, similar views on how social media affects democracy and society
People in advanced and emerging economies have mixed feelings about social media’s impact on political life.
-
Public Has Modest Expectations for Washington’s Return to Divided Government
Most U.S. adults say President Joe Biden (65%) and Republican leaders in Congress (61%) will be unsuccessful getting their agendas enacted in the next two years; only about a third say the president and GOP leaders will be successful. Republicans are less confident than Democrats in midterm vote counts – but more confident than they were after the 2020 election.
-
Turnout in U.S. has soared in recent elections but by some measures still trails that of many other countries
When comparing turnout among the voting-age population in recent national elections in 50 countries, the U.S. ranks 31st.
-
Two Years After Election Turmoil, GOP Voters Remain Skeptical on Elections, Vote Counts
There has been a sharp decline in the share of Republican voters who are “very confident” that votes cast at polling places will be counted accurately.
-
Hungarians differ in their evaluations of democracy under Orban’s leadership
Viktor Orban, who’s set to speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Texas, receives generally positive ratings from Hungarians.
-
With legislative redistricting at a crucial stage, most Americans don’t feel strongly about it
Only a small share of Americans have heard a lot about redistricting in their state and a majority are not sure how they feel.
-
Fewer Americans now say Trump bears a lot of responsibility for the Jan. 6 riot
Americans remain deeply divided about the events of Jan. 6, 2021, and the ongoing congressional investigation into what happened.
