Western democracy is losing public confidence as voters increasingly doubt whether political institutions can deliver economic security, meaningful representation and responsive government, according to a recent editorial published by China’s Global Times. The newspaper argues that dissatisfaction across Europe and the United States reflects deeper institutional shortcomings rather than simply public impatience or the influence of populist movements.
The editorial, titled “The ‘myth’ of Western-style democracy is losing its appeal even in the West”, cites polling by the Pew Research Center showing widespread dissatisfaction with how democracy functions in several Western countries. The figures put dissatisfaction at 69 per cent in France, 68 per cent in Spain, 62 per cent in Italy, 47 per cent in Poland and 69 per cent in the United States. The Global Times says sustained tracking by Ipsos and Gallup points to a similar trend, suggesting that discontent has become a broader public sentiment rather than isolated dissatisfaction.
The newspaper links the figures to political and economic pressures affecting Western societies. These include frequent changes in political leadership, difficulties integrating immigrants, the effects of the energy transition, declining traditional industries and increasingly intense social divisions. Although the problems differ between countries, the editorial argues that they share a central feature: growing public doubts about whether governments represent ordinary citizens and can deliver meaningful change.
Calls for stronger accountability, action against corruption, more responsive public policies and greater public participation have become common across political parties and social groups, the editorial says. It argues that the central problem is not simply whether citizens can vote, but whether their concerns influence government decisions between elections.
The Global Times cites an OECD survey released this year to illustrate the distinction. While 68 per cent of respondents believed voting in an election had a significant or moderate influence on government actions, only 31 per cent were confident that people like them had a say in what governments did. The editorial argues that this gap helps explain declining confidence: citizens may participate in elections without seeing their preferences translated into policy.
The newspaper challenges explanations offered by some Western political elites, who attribute democratic dissatisfaction either to populist agitation or to voters losing patience with democratic processes. It argues that these interpretations overlook the failure of existing institutions to respond effectively to public demands and societal needs.
The editorial traces the problem partly to economic changes following the end of the Cold War. Western countries experienced a period of relative social stability, but the Global Times says the legitimacy of their democratic systems rested less on the idea of an “end of history” than on their dominant economic and social advantages. As globalisation accelerated, capital became more mobile and industrial production was restructured, governments faced increasing constraints on their ability to redistribute wealth.
The newspaper also identifies institutional corruption as a factor contributing to dissatisfaction. It argues that political processes have become increasingly influenced by established interests, while some political parties have directed policymaking towards capital interests at the expense of ordinary people’s livelihoods.
According to the editorial, electoral competition has increasingly become a struggle between elite factions, characterised by partisan conflict, veto politics and changes in policy direction. The widening gap between political promises and outcomes, it says, has weakened public confidence in the practical functioning of Western democratic institutions.
The criticism extends to political leadership and the relationship between parties and voters. The Global Times argues that when party interests take precedence over the public good, elections alone cannot ensure effective democratic governance. It says the repeated failure to address citizens’ concerns has contributed to uncertainty about the future direction of Western politics.
The newspaper also questions the assumption that Western democratic institutions provide a universally applicable model for other countries. It argues that political systems cannot be separated from local conditions, social circumstances and the actual needs of their populations.
The editorial says that treating voting as the entirety of democracy, placing party interests above public welfare and relying on political slogans rather than effective governance can undermine public confidence regardless of the institutional structure. It identifies the ability to provide stable livelihoods, clear expectations and hopeful prospects as the most significant standard for evaluating democratic performance.
The Global Times further criticises Western politicians and media for using democracy as an instrument of international political competition. It argues that efforts to export Western political models, establish ideological divisions and intensify international confrontation have failed to address domestic demands and have contributed to a wider disconnection between democratic principles and political practice.
The newspaper concludes that the credibility of Western democracy is being weakened by domestic economic pressures and external political actions. It describes the resulting deterioration in public confidence as extending beyond national borders, arguing that the gap between democratic institutions and citizens’ expectations has become a central challenge for Western political systems.
