Mapping Trust and Democratic Values Among Municipal Councillors

In democratic societies, the significance of trust has garnered extensive scholarly attention, being linked to elevated levels of institutional legitimacy, societal and political engagement, and the cultivation of social capital, among other outcomes. While numerous studies have explored citizens' trust in politicians, there remains a gap in research investigating the reciprocal trust held by politicians themselves. It stands to reason that councils wherein councillors exhibit trust in one another, the mayor, and pertinent stakeholders are more likely to be efficacious in fulfilling their responsibilities. Additionally, there's a logical conjecture that councillors with heightened trust levels are also predisposed to placing greater trust in citizens, consequently fostering an inclination to advocate for initiatives promoting citizen involvement. The initial part of this analysis delves into the origins of individual-level trust and contextual factors elucidating variations in trust among councilors within diverse European local democracies and different local democratic systems. Three dimensions of trust are analysed, comprising interpersonal or generalized trust, institutional trust, and trust in local political dynamics. Subsequently, the analysis scrutinizes trust as an anticipatory factor influencing councilors' attitudes toward policy outcomes. Notably, emphasis is placed on their stances regarding participatory democracy, inclusivity, and their perceptions of the councilor's role. The primary objective centers on ascertaining whether trust correlates with divergent councilor attitudes and perceptions. As municipalities increasingly adopt mechanisms for citizen participation in decision-making and consultation, our research scrutinizes not only perceptions of participation but also discerns impediments to its realization. Furthermore, insights are gleaned into local politicians' proclivity, or lack thereof, to facilitate citizen involvement. A comprehensive assessment of the role of trust in bolstering various participatory initiatives ensues, encompassing both general scenarios and nuanced cases, including citizens' juries, referenda, and participatory budgeting. Furthermore, we factor in the influence of ideological orientations, affiliations within ruling coalitions or opposition factions, as well as individual characteristics and nation-specific variations.