Survey: Romanians place highest trust in Army and Church, while Parliament ranks last

Romanians continue to place the most trust in the Army and the Church, while Parliament remains the least trusted institution, according to the second edition of the Informat.ro – INSCOP Research Barometer conducted between June 20–26. The monthly survey was commissioned by the news platform Informat.ro in partnership with the Strategic Thinking Group think tank.

The data show that 63% of Romanians say they have “a lot” or “quite a lot” of trust in the Army, followed by the Church at 57.7% and the Romanian Academy at 46.8%. The Police (43.2%), National Bank (42.5%), City Halls (38.9%), and the Presidency (34.8%) follow in the trust ranking.

Meanwhile, only 26.9% trust the press, 20.4% trust the government, and a mere 14.5% trust Parliament.

The results reflect a strong preference for institutions perceived as apolitical and stable. “Romanians place their trust in institutions they see as reliable pillars in times of uncertainty,” said INSCOP Research director Remus Ștefureac. “The Army and the Church stand out, […] while political institutions suffer from a legitimacy crisis due to deep mistrust in the political class.”

Sociodemographic data reveal that the Army enjoys most trust among PSD and PNL voters, seniors over 60, rural residents, and those with lower levels of education. Trust in the Church is highest among AUR voters and people under 30. The Romanian Academy is most trusted by PSD and PNL supporters, especially public sector employees.

Younger respondents and urban dwellers are more likely to trust institutions like the National Bank and the Presidency, while PSD, PNL, and USR voters are more inclined to trust city halls, the government, and even Parliament, albeit at lower levels.

Ștefureac warned that political polarization is increasingly reflected in institutional trust, with voters of ruling parties showing more confidence overall, while AUR supporters express a “chronic distrust in all institutions.” This divide, he said, poses a growing risk that hostile actors could exploit Romania’s internal tensions in the years ahead.

The survey was conducted by CATI (telephone interviews) on a sample of 1,150 respondents aged 18 and above, representative of Romania’s adult population. The margin of error is ±2.9% at a 95% confidence level.

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