Democracy Erodes from the Top

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There is a palpable sense of crisis in Western democracies, fueled by the rise of right-wing populist parties in Europe, the erosion of constitutional checks in Hungary and Poland, and the Brexit vote in the UK. These events have raised significant concerns about democracy's present state and future. Political leaders often amplify perceptions of crisis for their own agendas. However, data from 2019 reveals that Europeans were as satisfied with democracy as they were 15 years prior, with trust in national parliaments and politicians remaining stable. Despite the prominence of "angry opponents of immigration" in the media, public attitudes toward immigration have actually warmed. This contradicts the prevailing narrative of a "crisis of democracy" in Europe, as evidenced by public opinion surveys. Analyzing a major survey of European sentiment from 2002 to 2019, Bartels highlights trends in dissatisfaction with democracy, distrust of elites, polarization, and attitudes toward European integration. He consistently finds that the European public does not perceive their democracy as being in crisis. Furthermore, he argues that the rise of right-wing populist parties is less about public demand and more about the supply of such groups from the political elite, which has contributed to the erosion of democratic norms in countries like Poland and Hungary.