Why is public trust low, and how to fix it

October 02, 2025

- YouTube

Why is trust in democracy so low?

Iain Walker, executive director of the newDemocracy Foundation, argues that the incentives of modern elections, which reward demonization and five-second public opinion, make it difficult to solve complex problems. The fix: create spaces for public judgment where citizens have time, access to information, and a mandate to deliberate.

“The way to win elections is to manipulate public opinion … but when you have a chance to think, public judgment, it’s very different.”

Excerpt from a Global Stage livestream at UN HQ on the International Day of Democracy.

Watch more of GZERO Media’s Global Stage series, sponsored by Microsoft, from the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly here: gzeromedia.com/globalstage

How the circular economy empowers small businesses

Imagine an economy where products are designed to be reused, repaired, and regenerated instead of ending up as waste. That’s the circular economy, a model that redefines recycling and transforms how small businesses operate. In this episode of Local to Global: The power of small business, host JJ Ramberg sits down with Ellen Jackowski, Chief Sustainability Officer at Mastercard, and Rachel McShane, Chief Financial Officer at Depop, to discuss the scale of the circular economy, why circular practices boost both sustainability and profitability, and where the industry is headed next.

Why is public trust low, and how to fix it

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Are there more autocracies than democracies in the world today, and why does it matter? María del Carmen Sacasa (UNDP LAC) argues we’re in a paradigm shift, not a terminal crisis.

Will Trump’s peace plan end the Gaza war?

As debt grows, resilience is tested

Household debt rose to $18.39T in Q2. Payments are manageable now, but higher mortgage costs and student loan delinquency may soon strain household spending. Can consumers sustain resilience if the labor market continues to soften? Subscribe to Bank of Institute to read the full report.

Three numbers, one story: the US government shutdown

Here is a look at how many workers of the 2 million civilian federal workers are in jeopardy until the government reopens.

Drone wall plan tests Europe’s cohesion

After a spate of Russian drones appeared in European airspace, the European Commission is exploring a so-called “drone wall,” an air defense system that aims to detect and destroy drones that pass through Europe’s eastern borders.

Why is public trust low, and how to fix it

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Subscribe to GZERO Media's newsletter: Signal

More from GZERO Media

The Trump administration is moving closer to a direct confrontation with Venezuela, raising the possibility of what the president once vowed to avoid: another US-backed regime change.

GZEROMEDIA

Subscribe to GZERO Media's newsletter: Signal

Are there more autocracies than democracies in the world today, and why does it matter? María del Carmen Sacasa (UNDP LAC) argues we’re in a paradigm shift, not a terminal crisis.

Household debt rose to $18.39T in Q2. Payments are manageable now, but higher mortgage costs and student loan delinquency may soon strain household spending. Can consumers sustain resilience if the labor market continues to soften? Subscribe to Bank of Institute to read the full report.

Here is a look at how many workers of the 2 million civilian federal workers are in jeopardy until the government reopens.

After a spate of Russian drones appeared in European airspace, the European Commission is exploring a so-called “drone wall,” an air defense system that aims to detect and destroy drones that pass through Europe’s eastern borders.