Ukraine is divided: is the country moving towards democracy or authoritarianism?
According to the results of a recent survey conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS), the opinions of Ukrainians regarding the direction of the state's development are almost equally divided. Thus, half of the respondents — 50% — believe that Ukraine is increasingly moving towards strengthening democratic institutions and values, while 41% are convinced that the country is moving towards authoritarianism. Another 9% of those surveyed remained undecided, not having determined their priorities. These data indicate a fairly significant split in society regarding the assessment of the country's recent development trends. The authors of the study emphasize that it is difficult to compare this situation with previous years or long historical periods, since there is not enough data in this area for a direct analysis of dynamics. At the same time, sociology emphasizes that, taking into account the correlation between development assessments and attitudes towards the government, it is possible to assume that the situation was either similar or even worse than the current one. Of particular interest is the view of Ukrainians depending on the level of trust in the government and specifically in President Volodymyr Zelensky. KIIS modeled how the picture of the country's development looks from different points of view depending on the political sentiments of the respondents. In particular, among those who absolutely do not trust the president (82%), the opinion that Ukraine is moving towards authoritarianism prevails - this indicator reaches 84%. This indicates general tension in society and a certain crisis of trust in the leadership, which may also affect the perception of the country's independence and its future political course. In contrast, respondents who have a high level of trust in Zelensky show a much more optimistic vision of the future. Among them, more than three-quarters — 76% — believe that Ukraine is moving towards greater democracy, and only 7% see developments towards authoritarianism. However, even among those who rather trust the president, the situation on this issue is mixed: half — 50% — are inclined to believe that the country is moving towards democracy, while 41% prefer to see developments towards authoritarianism. These data clearly indicate that in relation to the country's development prospects, the level of trust in the president and the assessment of a possible future scenario are closely intertwined. The study by the "Kyiv International Institute of Sociology" was conducted in the format of telephone interviews using a random sample of mobile phone numbers throughout Ukraine in the period from May 28 to June 3, 2025. A total of 1,092 adult respondents aged 18 and older were surveyed. The statistical error for such indicators was no more than 3.9% at a confidence level of 95%, which indicates that the data obtained are quite representative. Thus, Ukrainian society today is divided in its views on the further development of the country. Hopes for a democratic path are mixed with concerns about the possible advancement of authoritarian tendencies - and all this in the context of the operation of political institutions, the level of trust in power structures and personal political preferences. Time will tell which path Ukrainians will take in the future and how strong the feelings of common identity and trust in the country's leadership will be.