Trust in the parliament, which had fallen to the lowest level of recent years in March, started to improve again in June – 28% of the population trusted the Riigikogu in March and by June, the percentage had risen to 40%. Confidence in the government and the president has remained the same, being at 39% and 69% respectively in June. In total, 85% of the population trusts the online services of the state, particularly young people with higher education.
Sense of security has also improved among the population. In March, 46% of the population felt that the Republic of Estonia is currently secure and by June, the percentage had risen to 51%. Moreover, personal sense of security has also improved a little, with the percentage of people who feel safe living in Estonia increasing from 65% in March to 69% in June.
In contrast, the economic security of the population has fallen a little compared to March. Whereas 45% of the population felt economic uncertainty in March, the proportion of people who felt the same reached 51% by June. Economic uncertainty was particularly acute among people of other nationalities, for whom the respective percentages were 52% in March and 65% in June 2024.
Economic insecurity is reflected in issues that worry people the most. The biggest areas of concern are related to the economic situation of the country and daily expenses. In total, 85% of the people are anxious about the general economic state of Estonia and 83% about the increase in daily expenses. In addition, 76% of the population worries about the war in Ukraine and 74% are concerned about the changes in the national tax system. Therefore, economic and international instability continue to be focal issues for Estonians.
The population is divided into two equal factions in regard to the necessity of tax changes – 48% considers them necessary and 48% does not. Compared to March, attitude towards tax changes is slightly more positive, as in March, only 44% of the population considered tax changes unavoidable. Changes in the tax system are more popular among people in the 15–24 age group and those with higher education, whereas the percentage of people opposed to the increase of taxes is higher in the 25–49 age group, among other nationalities, and among people living in north-eastern Estonia.
The military activity of the Russian Federation in Ukraine is still condemned by the majority (85%) of the people, while 5% support it and 10% have no opinion. The negative attitude has remained the same among Estonians, but among people of other nationalities, feelings of condemnation towards the military activity have increased (56% in March and 63% in June). Support for the military aid to Ukraine remains the same – 63%.
The results of the survey are available in Estonian on the website of the Government Office.
