• Trust is an important outcome indicator of public governance. Institutional trust is a multidimensional concept and provides a measure of how people perceive the quality of, and their association with, government institutions in democratic countries (OECD, 2022; Brezzi et al., 2021; OECD, 2017). Government investment in reinforcing trust is particularly important during times of multiple crises.

  • The main drivers of public trust vary for different institutions and levels of government. Analysis based on the 2021 OECD Trust Survey finds that levels of trust in the civil service are most influenced by perceptions of government reliability, as well as the responsiveness and fairness of public services (OECD, 2022).

  • A fundamental element of democracy is the principle that people are free to express opinions and have equal opportunities to be represented in government decision-making. People who feel they can influence political processes are more likely to participate in civic life through voting, or by engaging with politicians and political parties. Active engagement in politics builds stronger democratic values and ensures the political system’s legitimacy. People who feel they have no political voice, are less likely to comply with laws and regulations, and more likely to engage in protests such as boycotts, or to exit the democratic process entirely by not engaging or abstaining from voting (Prats and Meunier, 2021).