India topped the list of countries in having the most faith in its leader and the national government, according to a report by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
The OECD Government at a Glance 2017 found that 73% Indians trust the Modi administration.
India was followed closely by Canada with 62% of the country’s residents having confidence in the Justin Trudeau government. Trudeau is known for his immense popularity on social media and his videos wishing Indians on their festivals are often shared widely.
Following India and Canada are Turkey, Russia and Germany. While 58% of the Turkish population trusts the Erdogan government, 58% Russians expressed faith in the Putin administration, followed by the Germans at 55%.
The US government headed by Donald Trump meanwhile, enjoyed the confidence of only 30% Americans. But the greatest loss of trust in the government, was found in Chile, Finland, Greece and Slovenia, with more than 70% of the population unhappy.
The report also said that on an average, less than half (42%) of OECD’s countries’ citizens trusted their national government.
The report defines ‘trust’ as a “positive perception about the actions of an individual or organisation”.
The report says the trust in the government is an important indicator about its effectiveness, as well as a facilitator for greater cooperation between the people and the administration.
“Trust in government is both a driver of government effectiveness and economic development, and an outcome measure for government action. Trust in government leads to greater compliance with regulations and the tax system, facilitated social and political consensus, enhances the acceptance of policies that call for short-term sacrifices by citizens, and mobilises citizen engagement to enable open and inclusive government processes,” the report says.
See the full chart here.
Courtesy OECD Government at a Glance 2017