The Center for European and Mediterranean Studies at NYU and Deutsches Haus at NYUpresent “Political Trust in Europe: Is there a Crisis, and Does It Matter?” and a panel discussion among Marc Hooghe, Mark Warren, Milada Vachudova, and moderated by Thomas Zittel.

Political trust is commonly said to be critical for the functioning of liberal democracy. It indicates the belief that parties and politicians are ready and able to govern in the interests of citizens in reliable ways, even if exposed to little supervision or scrutiny. Trust facilitates political compromise, political integration, and social peace. Public debates and some studies suggest that European voters may be losing this important disposition. The surge of populist parties across European democracies, shrinking vote shares of mainstream parties, and visible protest movements are widely seen as clearcut signals in this regard. This conversation explores the scope of this perceived crisis and what the conditions and long-term consequences might be. It brings together international experts from the fields of political theory, empirical political sociology, and party politics. The panel participants will present their insights on the state of political trust in European politics in short introductory statements, discuss them in a panel a conversation, and respond to questions from the audience.

“Political Trust in Europe: Is there a Crisis, and Does It Matter?” is funded by the DAAD from funds of the German Federal Foreign Office (AA).

Date and Time: Wednesday, December 6^th 2023, from 6:00 PM-7:30 PM

Location: Deutsches Haus at NYU, 42 Washington Mews, New York, NY 10003

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