UNLOCKING THE LINKS BETWEEN POLITICAL AND INSTITUTIONAL TRUST AND SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING: INSIGHTS FROM THE 11th EUROPEAN SOCIAL SURVEY

Abstract

The factors contributing to political and institutional trust in Europe are under-researched. This study aims to explore the links between political and institutional trust, subjective well-being, and satisfaction with the economy, national government, and democracy by applying data from the 11th round of the European Social Survey, conducted in 2023–2024. The age of the participants (n = 22,039) ranged from 15 to 90 (M = 51.88, SD = 18.728). The results reveal that in European countries, trust in politicians and political parties is consistently lower than trust in institutions such as the police, the legal system, and international organizations like the United Nations. The findings show that subjective well-being is significantly correlated with all forms of political and institutional trust, including trust in the country’s parliament, legal system, politicians, political parties, the European Parliament, and the United Nations, suggesting that institutional trust is a foundational component of societal well-being. However, the strongest correlation is observed between trust in the police and subjective well-being. Satisfaction with the economy, national government, and democracy show the strongest correlations with trust in the country’s parliament and politicians, positing that economic conditions and governmental performance are the primary determinants of political trust. Structural equation modeling reveals that subjective well-being does not directly translate into political and institutional trust, but political and economic satisfaction acts as a critical mediating variable. High levels of life satisfaction and happiness can enhance positive perceptions of economic and governmental performance, which in turn foster political and institutional trust.