Flash Eurobarometer FL519 : Perceived independence of the national justice systems in the EU among the general public

53% of EU citizens rate the justice system in their country – in terms of the independence of courts and judges – as good (11% say it is ‘very good’ and 42% that it is ‘fairly good’), while 36% say it is (fairly or very) bad. These results have remained stable compared to January 2022. Respondents who rate the independence of their justice system as good are the most likely to say this is due to the status and position of judges sufficiently guaranteeing their independence. 63% refer to no interference or pressure from economic or other specific interests and 62% to no interference or pressure from government and politicians as a reason to explain their rating. Over three-quarters of respondents, who rate the independence of their justice system as bad, say that interference or pressure from government and politicians explains their rating compared to under three-quarters who say the same about interference or pressure from economic or other specific interests and six in ten who say this about the status and position of judges, which does not sufficiently guarantee their independence.

Processed data

Processed data files for the Eurobarometer surveys are published in .xlsx format.

• Volume A "Countries/EU"
  The file contains frequencies and means or other synthetic indicators including elementary bivariate statistics describing distribution patterns of (weighted) replies for each country or territory and for (weighted) EU results.
• Volume AP "Trends"
  The file compares to previous poll in (weighted) frequencies and means (or other synthetic indicators including elementary bivariate statistics describing distribution patterns of replies); shifts for each country or territory foreseen in Volume A and for (weighted) results.
• Volume AA "Groups of countries"
  The file contains (labelled) frequencies and means or other synthetic indicators including elementary bivariate statistics describing distribution patterns of (weighted) replies for groups of countries specified by the managing unit on the part of the EC.
• Volume AAP "Trends of groups of countries"
  The file contains shifts compared to the previous poll in (weighted) frequencies and means (or other synthetic indicators including elementary bivariate statistics describing distribution patterns of replies); shifts for each groups of countries foreseen in Volume AA and for (weighted) results.
• Volume B "EU/socio-demographics"
  The file contains (labelled) frequencies and means or other synthetic indicators including elementary bivariate statistics describing distribution patterns of replies for the EU as a whole (weighted) and cross-tabulated by some 20 sociodemographic, socio-political or other variables, depending on the request from the managing unit on the part of the EC or the managing department of the other contracting authorities.
• Volume BP "Trends of EU/socio-demographics"
  The file contains shifts compared to the previous poll in (weighted) frequencies and means (or other synthetic indicators including elementary bivariate statistics describing distribution patterns of replies); shifts for each country or territory foreseen in Volume B above)and for (weighted) results.
• Volume C "Country/socio-demographics"
  The file contains (labelled) weighted frequencies and means or other synthetic indicators including elementary bivariate statistics describing distribution patterns of replies for each country or territory surveyed separately and cross-tabulated by some 20 socio-demographic, socio-political or other variables (including a regional breakdown).

For SPSS files and questionnaires, please contact GESIS - Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences: https://www.gesis.org/eurobarometer