Where we live changes our trust in institutions

Trust in the EU is at its highest since the financial crisis of 2008, going from 31% in 2013 to 52% in the spring of 2025, according to the standard Eurobarometer survey. The type of territory where people live – cities, towns and suburbs, or rural areas – influences the level of trust in EU, national and local institutions, a new study by the Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) shows.

In 2024, 65% of rural residents across the EU showed higher trust in local and regional authorities compared to citizens in cities (64%) and those in towns and suburbs (61%). Looking at EU countries separately, more than half of rural residents tend to trust local and regional authorities more in almost every country.

The fact that rural residents continue to place their trust in local authorities, but are less inclined to trust national governments or the EU, highlights the importance of having decisions taken closer to them. Place-based policies promoting economic development, employment, and education could also improve trust in the EU in rural areas and strengthen territorial cohesion. 

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