"The system is broken": Ipsos study across 31 countries reveals deepening distrust in politics and elites

Ipsos today released its 2025 Populism Report, a comprehensive study examining populist sentiment, anti-elitism, and nativism across 31 countries. 
The report, based on a survey of 23,228 adults conducted between February 21st and March 7th, 2025, reveals a widespread sense that the "system is broken", strong distrust of politicians and elites, and a desire for leaders who are willing to challenge the status quo:

• In 29/31 countries, a majority of the public say that the “economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”, with South Korea, Italy and Germany seeing double-digit increases since 2022.
• In 23/31 countries, a majority say that “society is broken”, including Germany, South Africa, Hungary, Brazil, Türkiye, Sweden, US and UK.
• In 24/31 countries, a majority say their country is “in decline”, with double-digit increases since 2016 for Türkiye, Great Britain, Japan, India, Canada.

Download the Full Report   Download the Key Findings

Key findings include: 

• Is society broken? In 23 out of the 31 countries surveyed, a majority say that “society is broken”, including Germany (77%), South Africa (72%), Hungary (71%), Brazil (69%), Türkiye (68%), Sweden (67%), the United States (66%) and Great Britain (65%). Sweden, France, and Germany have all seen substantial rises since 2016.
• Is society in decline? In 24 out of the 31 countries we polled, a majority say their country is “in decline”. There have been double-digit increases in this sentiment since 2016 for Türkiye (71% agree, up 16 ppts since 2016), Great Britain (68% agree, up 11 ppts since 2016), Germany (68% agree, up 21 ppts since 2016), Japan (70% agree, up 30 ppts since 2016), Canada (56% agree, up 18 ppts since 2016), Peru (56% agree, up 12 ppts since 2016), and India (53% agree, up 31 ppts since 2016).
• Anti-elite sentiment: With the exception of Singapore and Netherlands, a majority in every country surveyed say that the economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful. The global average is 68%, with Thailand (83%) and South Korea (82%) showing the highest levels of agreement. Over seven in ten (72%) Britons agree with this statement. 
• Anti-politics sentiment: Globally, over six in ten (64% on average) think that traditional parties and politicians don’t care about people like me, with Peru (85%) at the top of the list, and France and Italy (both 71%) leading among G7 countries. In Great Britain, 68% agree with this sentiment, up from 58% in 2021.
• Desire for strong leadership: Across the 31 countries surveyed, almost half (47%) express a desire for a "strong leader willing to break the rules" to fix their country. Thailand (79%) and South Korea (75%) top the list. Among G7 countries, Britons are most likely to agree with this statement (53%), compared to only 38% of Americans. Conversely, this sentiment is lowest in Germany (24%), despite an increase in the country for those feeling that society is broken.
• Nativist views: Elsewhere in the survey, respondents were asked for their views on immigration. An average of 44% across the 31 countries believe their country "would be stronger if we stopped immigration". Türkiye (78%) and Thailand (71%) show the strongest agreement with this statement, while New Zealand (20%) and South Korea (23%) show the lowest. Four in ten (40%) Britons agree with this statement, an increase of 9 ppts since 2016.

Commenting on the findings, Clifford Young, President US Public Affairs at Ipsos, said:

Our Ipsos Populism Report paints a concerning picture of global discontent. Our data, gathered from over 23,000 adults across 31 countries, reveals a pervasive sense of societal breakdown and a deepening distrust in established systems. The surge in the belief that society is 'broken' or 'in decline,' particularly in key nations like Germany, Great Britain, and the United States, highlights a growing unease that has been brewing since 2016. What's particularly striking is the widespread anti-elite and anti-political sentiment. The overwhelming consensus that the economy is rigged in favour of the wealthy, coupled with the feeling that traditional parties don't care about ordinary people, suggests a profound disconnect between citizens and their representatives. This disillusionment is further fuelled by a desire for strong leaders who are willing to disrupt the status quo, a sentiment especially pronounced in countries like Thailand and, notably within the G7, Great Britain.

Technical note: 

• For the full report, click here.
• The “31-country average” reflects the average result for all the countries and markets where the survey was conducted. It has not been adjusted to the population size of each country or market and is not intended to suggest a total result.
• Ipsos interviewed a total of 23,228 adults aged 16-74 in 31 participating countries from February 21st 2025 – March 7th 2025.  For full details, see the methodology section of the report.