Europeans Lose Faith in Government

IN today's International Herald Tribune Melisa Eddy reports:  'Fewer than 10% of people surveyed in the European countries hardest hit by the region's debt crisis say that their leaders are doing a good job at fighting corruption, a survey by the anti-corruption group Transperancy International has found.'

This survey, released yesterday, shows a 'deep chasm between elected leaders and the people they govern,' says Ms. Eddy.  Something like half of the 114,000 people surveyed viewed political parties as the most corrupt institutions, and over half thought that their government was run by special interest groups.

It seems that even in the more better-off European countries the glum mood has taken hold.  Only 11% of British people surveyed and only 13% of Germans saw their governments as effective in fighting corruption, both of these fell well below the global average of 22%.

Across the world, 51% of people surveyed saw political parties in their countries as the most corrupt institutions, folloew closely by the police and judiciary.

The media, it seems, did not do as badly, but interestingly it was seen as most corrupt in Austrialia and Britain.  About 69% said it was the most corrupt institution in Britain, up from 39% three years ago.  The Leveson inquiry can't have helped here.