The proportion of people dissatisfied with democracy is growing in the U.S. and internationally, a new survey from Pew Research says.
According to the new survey, 31% of Americans said they were satisfied with the way democracy is working in the U.S., compared to 68% who said they were dissatisfied. In 2021, 41% of Americans said they were satisfied with the function of U.S. democracy.
In a survey that included citizens from 31 democracies throughout the world, just four had a higher proportion of satisfied respondents. Peru has the population most dissatisfied with its democracy, with 89% upset with how the government is functioning. According to The Associated Press, Peru President Dina Boluarte has been under investigation for allegedly acquiring an undisclosed collection of luxury watches since working for the government.
Greece is the nation next-most dissatisfied with its democracy. Like many Western nations, Greece has struggled with the cost of living, prompting Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to make changes within his cabinet to focus on the economy.
Colombia and South Africa also had a high proportion of citizens dissatisfied with their democracy.
Several nations saw large drops in support for their respective democracies. The United Kingdom saw its democratic satisfaction go from 60% in 2021 to 39% in 2024. South Korea saw a drop from 53% satisfaction to 36%. Canada went from 66% to 52%.
Of the 31 nations surveyed, 54% said they were dissatisfied with their government’s democracy, compared to 45% who were satisfied.
Singapore, India and Sweden reported having the highest satisfaction with their nations’ democracies.
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