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Europe in crisis: political distrust, corruption and austerity

Over the past decade European citizens’ confidence in different political institutions has declined sharply. This paper explores the different determinants of political trust in EU28 countries and the role perceived corruption and austerity hold in this decline. At first, the paper reviews the literature on what affects trust decisions and the role of institutions in them. Subsequently, using data from the Eurobarometer (2005-2018) the paper identifies different determinants of political trust. Using hierarchical modelling, the paper combines micro and macro characteristics to identify the importance of perceived corruption and austerity measures in this process. Results suggest that corruption is a significant determinant of trust in national governments, particularly in countries where austerity was present.