The percentage of individuals unsatisfied with democracy is on the rise in the U.S. and globally, according to a recent survey from Pew Research.
The survey reveals that only 31% of Americans expressed satisfaction with the functioning of democracy in the U.S., while 68% admitted to being dissatisfied. This marks a decrease from 2021, where 41% of Americans were content with U.S. democracy.
Among 31 democracies included in the survey, only four had a higher proportion of satisfied respondents. Peru has the highest population of dissatisfied citizens, with 89% expressing discontent with the government’s performance. The Associated Press reports that Peru President Dina Boluarte is under investigation for allegedly obtaining a secret collection of luxury watches while in government office.
Greece follows Peru as the nation with the second-highest dissatisfaction with its democracy. Economic challenges, particularly the cost of living, have led Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to implement changes within his cabinet to address the economic situation.
Both Colombia and South Africa also recorded a significant percentage of dissatisfied citizens with their respective democracies.
Several nations experienced significant declines in democratic support. The United Kingdom saw a decrease from 60% satisfaction in 2021 to 39% in 2024. South Korea plummeted from 53% to 36%, and Canada dropped from 66% to 52% satisfaction.
Out of the 31 surveyed nations, 54% expressed dissatisfaction with their government’s democracy, compared to 45% who were satisfied.
Singapore, India, and Sweden reported the highest levels of satisfaction with their nations’ democracies.
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