THE EASTERN EUROPE STUDIES CENTRE BECOMES THE GEOPOLITICS AND SECURITY STUDIES CENTER (GSSC)
THE EASTERN EUROPE STUDIES CENTRE BECOMES THE GEOPOLITICS AND SECURITY STUDIES CENTER (GSSC)
Analysing international policy processes and Lithuania’s role in them
Research Feb 04, 2025

Democracy sustainability barometer 2024

Photo source: GSSC Archyvas
Summary

The study examines the sustainability of democracy in Lithuania, evaluating public trust in Lithuanian governmental institutions and support for the defense of democracy. It also analyzes the influence of authoritarian states, particularly Russia, through economic and political narratives, as well as the public’s resilience to them. Finally, it discusses the limitations of democracy and value-related issues to summarize key findings and provide an analysis of the situation.

For the third consecutive year, we present the Democracy Sustainability Barometer, aiming to systematically measure, evaluate, and compare the attitudes of Lithuanian residents toward democracy and their resilience to propaganda from authoritarian states in the East. As in previous surveys, we calculate two main indices of Democracy Sustainability Barometer based on data from a representative survey. The Democracy Sustainability Index measures the public’s support for liberal democratic institutions, willingness to defend democracy through protests, satisfaction with democratic functioning (both procedures and governmental responsiveness), and trust in state institutions. The Resilience to Eastern Propaganda Index examines perceptions of the threat posed by Russia and the extent to which people agree with the economic and political narratives of authoritarian regimes in Russia and China.

The year 2024 was marked as an election year both globally and in Lithuania. Significant elections took place in the United States, India, and the European Union, where citizens elected members of the European Parliament. Some election results, particularly the U.S. presidential election, added uncertainty to an already tense geopolitical situation.

The publication can be found in English HERE.

Mažvydas Jastramskis is an Associate Professor at the Institute of International Relations and Political Science, Vilnius University. His research focuses on electoral behaviour, political institutions and democratic issues.