How do EU citizens perceive the independence of their judicial systems?

How do EU citizens perceive the independence of their judicial systems? 

When asked whether they think judges are independent and are not under the influence of political or economic interests, an absolute majority of respondents (53%) agree, including 16% who totally agree. In contrast, 41% of respondents disagree, and 6% say they don’t know. 

Observation on the national scale 

This question unveils important differences in perceptions depending on the EU Member States. Countries that agree most with this statement are Sweden (86%), Finland (81%), Denmark (80%) and the Netherlands (77%).  additionally, the rate of respondents who totally agree is particularly high in these four Member States, with an absolute majority in Sweden (54%), and around four in ten in the Netherlands (43%), Denmark (42%) and Finland (39%). 

The lowest proportions of respondents who agree that judges are independent and are not under the influence of political or economic interests are found in Greece (24%), Bulgaria (27%) and Lithuania (30%). In Greece and Bulgaria, the percentage of respondents who totally disagree is higher than the total of respondents who agreed (26% and 28%, respectively). It is also noticeable that nearly one third of respondents totally disagree in Cyprus (32% of the 60%who expressed disagreement, while 36% of respondents agree). 

Sociodemographic analysis 

Some differences are observed depending on the age respondents finished their education as well as their socio-professional category. 

A majority of respondents who finished their studies at the age of 15 or below disagree with the statement that judges are independent and are not under the influence of political or economic interests (47% disagree vs. 41% agree). Comparatively, an absolute majority of respondents who ended their studies at the age of 20 or above agree with the statement (59% agree vs. 37% disagree). 

When it comes to respondents’ socio-professional categories, unemployed people and housepersons are the only groups in which a majority disagree that judges are independent (respectively 52% disagree vs. 40% agree, and 47% agree vs. 45% disagree). In comparison, two thirds of managers who answered the survey agree with the statement (66% vs. 31% disagree).