In July this year, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) published its Trust Survey on the people's trust in government and public administration institutions in 30 OECD countries. The results highlight the areas for improvement, while Latvia demonstrates positive trends in a number of aspects, even outperforming countries such as Germany and France.
The study was conducted in October and November 2023 and looks at how the socio-economic aspects, day-to-day interactions with public administration institutions, and policies implemented affect the trust in government and public administration institutions.
The results show that geopolitical, economic, environmental and other challenges also have an impact on people's level of trust in national governments. A previous survey of this kind was carried out in 2021 and, compared to the results of the earlier survey, the overall level of trust in OECD countries has declined by an average of 2.4 percentage points. This indicator has increased only in a few countries, including Latvia. In our country, people's trust in government has risen by four percentage points over two years.
In addition, the level of trust in government decisions has increased by six percentage points, compared to 2021. This increase is twice as high as the OECD average and by 12 percentage points higher than for Estonia, which also participated in both the 2021 and last year's surveys. To measure this indicator, the survey asks the respondents for their opinion on the government's readiness to protect citizens in the event of emergency, on the legitimate use of personal data, on the responsible regulation and the use of artificial intelligence, as well as the quality[1] of administrative services.
According to the survey, 63% of Latvians are overall satisfied with administrative services, which is also in line with the OECD average and higher than in countries such as Germany, France and the Czech Republic. However, as regards specific sectors, it is clear that Latvia needs to improve the accessibility and quality of services in the areas of healthcare and education.
The study also focuses on the degree to which the public administration institutions are responsive to citizens' feedback. It found that citizens in Latvia are more likely than in Norway, the Czech Republic or Germany, for example, to state that public services are improved in response to complaints received from citizens.
Latvia has also been mentioned in a favourable light in terms of openness towards people and their opportunities for participation, including with regard to the practical steps taken to improve this indicator. The dialogue circles organised jointly by the State Chancellery and the Latvian Rural Forum for people across Latvia were mentioned as a prime example of the success. The discussions on trust were held in 20 places in Latvia, and the main findings of the dialogues were presented at a conference in the Saeima. More information at: www.mk.gov.lv/lv/dialoga-apli
Overall, despite the differences in citizens' trust indicators across countries, the study highlights common areas of focus for all countries in order to meet citizens' expectations and raise trust levels. The study's conclusions, for example, suggest that citizens should be more involved in decision-making processes at both local and national level. The study also recommends that governments strengthen their readiness for potential crises and their capacity to deal with complex issues by balancing the interests of different groups in society and following global trends, and that they explain decision-making processes and their impact on society more clearly.
The institutions have been encouraged to reinforce anti-corruption measures, thereby fostering a more positive public perception that the employees in public institutions are honest and not affected by conflicts of interest or any vested interests. The study also concludes that more efficient and user-friendly public services will contribute to trust in public administration institutions.
[1] Public administrative services refer to services that citizens receive when they make an application. These are mostly one-off or short-term services, primarily received digitally, such as obtaining a passport, registering birth or death, applying for licenses, benefits, etc. By contrast, the term 'public services' covers a broader range of services, including services provided over a long period of time, such as school education, long-term medical treatment or policing.