Trust in government and public institutions is driven by many interacting factors. The OECD Framework on Drivers of Trust in Public Institutions distinguishes different categories of factors that influence levels of trust. First, public governance drivers assess the degree to which people expect institutions to be reliable and responsive in formulating and implementing policies and services and to uphold the values of fairness, integrity and openness. Second, trust levels relate to the perceived capacity of government to address complex and/or global challenges. Finally, various individual and group-based cultural and socio-economic factors and political preferences influence trust (OECD, 2024). The relationships of these multiple factors with trust levels need to be explored simultaneously. Figure 2.4 summarises the areas that could yield the greatest improvement in trust in different institutions. When it comes to trust in the national government, people’s perceptions about competence and values-based decision making on complex policy issues seem more important than their day-to-day interactions with government. The extent to which people believe that the government can adequately balance the needs of different generations has the greatest potential effect on trust in national governments.
Many citizens remain sceptical about the government’s ability to handle such longer-term issues, however. Only 37% of people believe that governments balance the needs of different generations (Figure 2.5). Results vary among countries, but only in Mexico and Switzerland do more than half of the adult population feel confident that the government adequately balances the interest of current and future generations. Addressing these complex, long-term issues is critical for building trust in the national government (OECD, 2024).
Improving day to-day interactions has more potential to improve trust in local government and the civil service than in the national government. Actions to strengthen people’s sense of having a voice in local matters would have the greatest impact on trust in local government. Similarly, improved trust in the civil service is most strongly associated with improved perceptions of legitimate data use, fair treatment and public satisfaction with administrative services (Figure 2.4).
Public confidence in how personal data are managed has the potential to improve trust in government, particularly in the civil service. On average, a majority of people across surveyed OECD countries (52%) are confident that their data are only used for legitimate reasons, while 28% are not. However, the shares vary across countries. There are only six countries where more than 60% of the population has confidence in how the public administration handles their data (Figure 2.6).
