The State of Trust
The State of Trust

Author(s): Krasimira Valcheva
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Politics, Economy, Business Economy / Management, Political Theory, Governance, Public Administration, Government/Political systems, Politics and society, EU-Approach / EU-Accession / EU-Development, Socio-Economic Research
Published by: Университет за национално и световно стопанство (УНСС)
Keywords: trust in government; legitimacy; institutional performance; institutional quality; European Union
Summary/Abstract: The State of Trust explores the dynamics, determinants, and outcomes of trust in government across the European Union. The study aims to assess trust as a structural element of democratic legitimacy and to identify the institutional, economic, and societal factors that influence citizens’ confidence in public authority. It applies a comparative research design and a diagnostic framework that integrates conceptual reflection with empirical data from the Eurobarometer, the World Bank, and Eurostat. The research employs trust gap analysis to compare expected and actual levels of trust, based on key governance indicators. This method exposes discrepancies between institutional performance and public perception and reveals how trust deficits or surpluses affect legitimacy and state capacity. The results confirm that trust depends not only on economic outcomes but also on the integrity, accountability, and responsiveness of institutions. The study outlines the model of trust-responsive governance, which specifies the institutional prerequisites for generating, maintaining, and restoring trust. The findings provide an integrated framework and policy direction for strengthening democratic stability and institutional credibility across the European Union.

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