The church and the army are most trusted institutions in Romania, while Parliament is the least trusted, according to the Informat.ro Barometer - INSCOP Research, 7th edition, conducted between January 12-14.
The church ranks first in the top of public trust, with 63.9% of respondents saying that they have quite a lot or a lot of trust in it, up from 57.7% in July 2025. It is followed by the army, which commands a confidence level of 61.8% (down from 63% in July 2025), and the Police, at 50% (up from 43.2% in July 2025). The ranking continues with the Presidency, at 27.9% (down from 34.8% in July 2025), the judiciary, at 25.4%, and the government, at 18.4% (down from 20.4% in July 2025). Bringing up the rear is Parliament, at only 11.9% trust, down from 14.5% in July 2025.
According to the survey, trust in the church is higher among Social Democratic Party (PSD) and Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) voters, people over 60, those with a primary education and rural residents. The army enjoys the greatest trust among PSD and National Liberal Party (PNL) voters, people over 60 and rural residents. PSD and PNL voters, young people under 30 and public sector employees trust the police more.
As for the presidency, it is especially appreciated by PNL and Save Romania Union (USR) voters, by young people under 30, by people with a higher education background, by the inhabitants of Bucharest and large urban areas, as well as by state public. The judiciary enjoys a higher level of trust among PSD and AUR voters, people aged between 18 and 44 and those with a primary education background. The Government is credited with more confidence by USR and PNL voters, by young people under 30, by people with a higher education background and by the inhabitants of Bucharest. Parliament is perceived more favourably by PSD, PNL and USR voters, by young people under 30 and by the inhabitants of Bucharest.
The data were collected between January 12-15, 2026, using the computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI) method. The sample was a simple, stratified one, consisting of 1,100 people. The maximum allowed error of the data is ą3%, at a confidence level of 95%.
According to INSCOP Research Director Remus Stefureac, institutions perceived as "non-political" dominate public trust.
"The church and the army remain symbolic landmarks of stability and identity, a sign that the public is looking for anchors of continuity outside the political game itself. It is a classic pattern in societies with structural distrust in the political class. Political institutions are trapped in a structural credibility deficit. We are not talking only about conjunctural dissatisfactions, but about a chronic distrust in representative institutions. That indicates a rupture between citizens and the classic mechanisms of representative democracy, which fuels populism, anti-system discourse and radical formulas of political representation," according to Stefureac.
The Informat.ro Barometer - INSCOP Research is a monthly opinion poll conducted by INSCOP Research on a commission from the news platform Informat.ro in partnership with the think-tank Strategic Thinking Group. It aims to bring to the public attention topics of interest in order to stimulate national conversations on various topics and public policies essential for the present and future of Romania, starting from the opinion of Romanians in partnership with prestigious think tanks and academic organisations.
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