Compared to other OECD countries, Estonian people consider Estonia to be very safe and only 4% of respondents mentioned crime and violence as a concern. At the same time, the OECD average was 30%.
Satisfaction with public services was 83%, up 7.5% compared to 2021 and 20% higher than the OECD average. Of other OECD countries, only Luxembourg scored higher (84%). People in Estonia are also satisfied with the accessibility of services and the ease of use of digital public services.
Similarly to the residents of all of the other OECD countries included the survey, Estonian people are most concerned about inflation, which was highlighted as a problem by 74% of respondents, which is 15% more than the OECD average.
In Estonia, 38% of respondents trust the government, which is similar to the OECD average but down 9% compared to 2021. The parliament is trusted by 27% of respondents and the political parties by 17%, which is 7% lower than the OECD average. 49% of people trust the civil service, which is higher than the OECD average, and 46% trust local authorities, which is similar to the OECD average.
In the light of the crises of recent years, the survey also shows that public confidence in the capacity of public institutions to protect people in emergencies is an important indicator.
Compared to 2021, this figure has fallen by 9% to 46% in 2023.
“The Government Office is in the process of drafting the Civil Crisis and National Defence Act and this should boost the confidence in the capacity for unified crisis management in the coming years,” Secretary of State Taimar Peterkop commented on the results of the report and the actions planned.
Estonia's performance was also below the OECD average on indicators related to co-creation and the possibility for people to participate in policymaking between elections and to have a say in changes that affect them. For example, only 17% of respondents agreed that the political system allows them to have a say in policymaking, and 20% believed that when the government asks for people's feedback when developing policies, for example through the opportunities provided by the ministry's website or via public consultations, it is taken into account in decision-making.
“Governance is increasingly taking place in the context of crises and decisions need to be made quickly. This is something we have to get used to, but it is important to find ways to not lose sight of values such as co-creative policymaking, an inclusive political culture and evidence and knowledge-based policymaking,” said Secretary of State Taimar Peterkop, stressing that while trust in governments has declined in most OECD countries, a drop in public trust in terms of the basic principles of governance cannot be ignored.
“Governments around the world are in a difficult position, as expectations in terms of coping with complex challenges such as climate change, geopolitical instability and technological advancement continue to grow. At the same time, increasing polarisation and the loss of trust prevent governments from making the necessary changes,” said Taimar Peterkop.
Peterkop also noted that the Government Office has launched both the Public Sector Innovation Fund and the Co-creation Accelerator to increase the capacity for innovation and co-creation in the public sector and the openness, transparency and reliability of governance.
The OECD conducted its Trust Survey in October and November 2023, analysing people's experience and satisfaction with public governance, including questions on the accountability of governments, the flexibility of the public sector in responding to different challenges, the ways it deals with complex and global issues, and how people rate the principles of openness, fairness and integrity in public governance. This was the second time Estonia participated in the survey, which included 30 countries in total.
The survey can be found on the OECD website.
