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One in five Europeans believes that, in certain cases, a dictatorship may be preferable to democracy, according to a survey conducted in five European countries.
The poll, carried out by AboutPeople and commissioned by the think tank Progressive Lab, surveyed respondents in Greece, France, Sweden, the U.K., and Romania between Nov. 25 and Dec. 16. The findings were first published by POLITICO.
The study found that 22% of respondents said a dictatorship could be preferable in some circumstances.
Researchers said the discontent relates more to how democracy functions in practice rather than to democracy as a system.
In Greece, 76 percent of respondents expressed dissatisfaction with how democracy works in their country, compared with 68% in France, 66% in Romania, 42% in the U.K., and 32% in Sweden.
In addition, 26% agreed with the statement, "If there were a capable and effective leader in my country, I wouldn’t mind if they limited democratic rights and were not accountable to the citizens for their actions.”
However, 69% rejected the idea of such authoritarian leadership.
George Siakas, assistant professor at the Democritus University of Thrace in Greece, said the survey does not reflect a general rejection of democracy but rather dissatisfaction with its operation, marked by anti-elite and anti-establishment sentiments.
The survey also measured trust in institutions. The European Union recorded the highest trust level at 43%, followed by the media at 27% and political parties at 24%.
A third of respondents disagreed with the view that the rise of the far right poses a danger to democracy.
Greek respondents reported the highest sense of estrangement from political parties, with 55% saying they do not feel close to the party they voted for in the most recent elections. The figure was 53% in Romania, 47% in the U.K., 43% in France, and 32% in Sweden.
The study comes amid growing support for populist and nationalist movements across Europe, with far-right parties gaining strength in countries including Germany, France, and the U.K.
Dimitris Papadimitriou, professor of political science at the University of Manchester, said traditional divisions between Western, Eastern and Southern Europe are becoming less relevant as political dynamics grow more complex.
He said that even countries experiencing economic growth, such as Romania, are not necessarily seeing increased confidence in liberal democracy, while wealthier nations like Sweden face pressure on democratic institutions and declining public trust.
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