New Research Suggests Younger Australians Losing Faith in Democracy

A loss of trust in institutions means fewer than half of of people aged 18 to 24 believe democracy is always preferable to other forms of government.

People at the voting booths inside the Geraldton Primary school voting location in Geraldton, Australia, on May 3, 2025. Tamati Smith/Getty Images

A majority of Australians still believe in democracy, but among younger people, support is waning, driven by distrust in institutions.

That’s the finding of a survey conducted by the Australian National University (ANU) to establish a benchmark against which future changes in attitudes can be measured.