Governments can do more to regain trust, says OECD report

The global economic crisis has undermined trust in government. Today only four out of ten citizens in OECD countries say they have confidence in their national authorities. Not surprisingly, trust declined in the countries hit hardest by the crisis, such as Ireland, Greece, Slovenia and Portugal.

But measures can be taken to rebuild trust, according to a new OECD report. The OECD’s latest edition of Government at a Glance argues that governments need to be more inclusive, transparent, receptive and efficient. For that, they need to put their fiscal houses in order, deliver high quality services to their citizens and provide open and transparent data.


“Citizens look to governments to lead the way. Without strong leadership, supported by effective policies, trust is easily eroded. Good governance means putting the needs of people at the centre of policy-making,” said OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría.

See full Press Release: http://www.oecd.org/governance/governments-can-do-more-to-regain-trust-says-oecd-report.htm