Democratic Resilience Under Strain: Threats and Public Trust in Greece

This study analyzes the threats to democracy in Greece and public trust in its defenders, based on data from Flash Eurobarometer 522. The threats are examined by their origin (internal and external), democratic dimensions, vulnerability approaches, and response capacity. The results indicate that disinformation (41.4%) and the lack of media freedom (35.0%) are the main challenges, while foreign interference (29.5%) and institutional distrust (23.7%) pose additional risks. Likewise, the study assesses trust in the actors protecting democracy, highlighting the high credibility of citizens (51.9%) and civil society organizations (46.3%), which evidences a preference for collective action over state institutions. Trust in EU institutions (45.3%) exceeds that placed in national governments, reflecting skepticism toward domestic political leadership. The study emphasizes the importance of strengthening information integrity, promoting institutional reforms, and fostering citizen participation to counteract threats and ensure democratic stability in a context of cultural and structural vulnerabilities. These findings provide valuable insights for designing public policies that enhance democratic resilience in times of crisis and promote inclusion. Keywords: Democracy, disinformation, institutional trust, civil society, Greece