---
"title": "Europeans Want Direct Democracy"
"description": "Across the 10 EU countries the Pew Research Center polled in 2017, a median of 50 percent say they are dissatisfied with the way democracy is working in their country."
"date": "2018-01-31"
"authors":
  -
    "name": "Bruce Stokes"
    "job_title": "Former Director, Global Economic Attitudes"
    "link": "https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/staff/bruce-stokes/"
"url": "https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/global/2018/01/31/europeans-want-direct-democracy/"
"categories":
  - "Democracy"
  - "International Political Values"
---

# Europeans Want Direct Democracy

*Special to [RealClearWorld](https://www.realclearworld.com/articles/2018/01/31/europeans_want_direct_democracy_112694.html) *

Across the 10 EU countries the Pew Research Center [polled](https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/global/2017/10/16/globally-broad-support-for-representative-and-direct-democracy/) in 2017, a median of 50 percent say they are *dis*satisfied with the way democracy is working in their country, compared with just 48 percent who are satisfied. Such disgruntlement is not universal. The picture varies markedly from country-to-country: More than seven-in-ten in Sweden (79 percent), the Netherlands (77 percent), and Germany (73 percent) are pleased with their current democratic system, compared with one-in-four or less in Spain (25 percent) and Greece (21 percent). The Spanish figures precede the secessionist vote in Catalonia.

*Read more at [RealClearWorld](https://www.realclearworld.com/articles/2018/01/31/europeans_want_direct_democracy_112694.html)*