Analytics, EU – Baltic States, Latvia, Rating, Society

Public trust in a number of public institutions increased significantly last year as compared to 2017, while public trust in Vejonis, Cabinet of Ministers, Saeima, and political parties continued to decrease in 2018.

According to the survey, carried out at the end of 2018, public trust in Vejonis decreased to a record-low 3.5 points in 2018, down from 20.1 points at the end of 2017. Public trust in Vejonis was the highest during his first year of presidency - 41.1 points, writes Neatkariga.

The newspaper reminds that public trust in then President Valdis Zatlers dropped to minus 8.6 points at the end of 2010, but then increased to 17.6 points after Zatlers decided to dissolve the 10th Saeima.

The survey also found that, as usual, public trust is the highest in educational institutions - 66.4 points, up from 59.5 points at the end of 2017.

Public trust in the National Armed Forces has been steadily increasing, the newspaper points out. Public trust in the Armed Forces was negative in 1997, but it has been improving over the past nine years, increasing to 44.8 points in December 2018.

Public trust in the radio was at 37.9 points last year, television - 34.1 points, and printed media - 21.7 points. Public trust in the healthcare system increased to 33.2 points last year.

The state police's rating was at minus 31 points in 1997, but it has been steadily rising. Last year, public trust in the State Police amounted to 29.4 points, 4.7 points more than in 2017.