Governments need to get people more involved in decision-making and make public services work better if they want to rebuild trust, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) said in a new report released this week. Only 39% of people across OECD countries trust their national government, and just 37% think their government balances the needs of current and future generations. Public debt has jumped from 73% of GDP in 2007 to 112% in 2024, putting more pressure on governments to do more with less.
The trust problem comes at a bad time. Governments are dealing with aging populations, climate change, and digital transformation while people worry most about inflation (59%), poverty and inequality (33%), and unemployment (22%). Youth unemployment is particularly troubling, with 12.6% of young people not working, studying, or training.
The OECD’s Government at a Glance 2025 report says governments should focus on three areas: getting citizens more involved in decisions, making services more accessible, and using technology better. Only 30% of people think they can influence government actions, but more countries are trying citizens’ assemblies and public dialogues. The OECD counted 716 such processes since 1979, with 148 happening just between 2021 and 2023. “Governments today need to build citizens’ trust as they manage immediate fiscal pressures and navigate long-term changes,” said OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann.
The report shows governments could do much more with technology. While 60% of OECD countries use data analytics and AI for procurement, only 47% of government datasets are publicly available. Education data is even worse at 37%.
Twenty-three OECD countries have put emissions targets into law, but only 11 are measuring the environmental impact of green procurement policies. The OECD says governments need clearer plans and better coordination to handle climate goals while managing economic and social effects.
