Annual Poll: “Israelis’” Faith in Institutions, Satisfaction in Gov’t Dire

The report was delivered in person to the entity’s President Isaac Herzog by the institute’s president Yohanan Plesner, and Prof. Tamar Hermann, director of IDI’s Viterbi Family Center for Public Opinion and Policy Research.

It was divided into four main topics: democratic values, the legal system, trust and general satisfaction.

The annual report, in its 19th edition, revealed “a complex picture regarding the level of public trust in key institutions and officials, confidence in the … civil service…,” the IDI said in a statement.

In keeping with previous surveys, the “Israel” Occupation Forces [IOF] has the highest level of public trust, despite slipping from 90% in 2019 to 78% in 2021, the lowest level since 2008.

The president of the “Israeli” entity was next highest in the trust rankings with 58%, similar to the 56% recorded in 2020.

Though it’s in third place, only a minority trust the entity’s so-called Supreme Court, whose positive rating dropped from 42% in 2020 to 41% for 2021.

The “Israel” Police was in fourth place with 33.5%, down from 41% in 2020; the media was at 25%, down from 32% the year before; and at the bottom of the list came the Knesset with 21% and political parties with 10%.

Bucking an overall downward trend among institutions, the government gained a few percentage points, rising to 27% compared to 25% in 2020.

The survey polled respondents on six proposals relating to decentralizing power, alteration of the country’s quasi-constitutional Basic Laws, and representation in Knesset elections.

It found that 67% of “Israelis” are in favor of transferring more power from government ministries to local authorities. The survey found that 57% of “Israelis” trust their local leadership, a relatively high figure and one that has been stable over time, the IDI found.

Over 51% supported the idea of regional representation in Knesset elections.

Regarding the legal system, the survey found that 56% believe the “Supreme Court” should have the power to overturn Knesset laws that contradict democratic principles. It showed there has been a slight rise on the issue over the past decade, as in 2010 support for that power was just 52.5%.

Lastly, the IDI looked at general satisfaction, finding that less than a third of “Israelis” think that the “Israeli” entity’s situation is “good” or “very good,” the lowest rating in a decade.

The IDI noted that the “Israeli” entity has also slid down the rankings in most international indicators on political rights, civil liberties, and freedom of the press when compared to average scores from 2010-2019.