Views on the functioning of democratic society and political participation

• Author: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (EU body or agency)
• Pages: 31-45

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VIEWS ON THE FUNCTIONING OF

DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY AND POLITICAL

PARTICIPATION

Honouring human rights commitments through legitimate implementing

measures requires that people feel that democracy works– that people are

represented, empowered to speak up and heard by decision makers– and

that decisions made in the public interest are fair and equitable. Afunctioning

democracy also requires that people are free to point out def‌iciencies in

the way things are done and to suggest improvements, without feeling

intimidated. This includes the freedom to decide who to vote for in elections,

without feeling coerced. Another key element of democracy is an independent

court system.

KEY FINDINGS

Ë86 % of people consider it of high importance to democracy that elections are free and fair.



democracy asked about in the survey.

Ë

of democracy asked about in the survey, compared with other age groups.

ËThe majority of people in the EU (60 %) agree or strongly agree that mainstream parties and

politicians do not care about ‘people like me’. This proportion is higher among people who

struggle to make ends meet with their household’s income, those who have completed at most





ËOne in four people (27 %) in the EU think that, in their country, judges are ‘never’ or ‘rarely’



