Survey Reveals Growing Institutional Trust but Deepening Social Divisions in Slovakia

A new opinion poll points to a contradictory trend in Slovak society: while public trust in state institutions is rising, social cohesion is breaking down, with personal relationships increasingly strained by political differences. The survey suggests Slovaks are becoming more likely to end friendships or distance themselves from family members over differing political views, a sign of deepening polarization even as confidence in the broader system grows. The findings reflect a broader pattern seen across Central Europe, where post-pandemic and wartime pressures have sharpened ideological divides within communities, making political opinion an ever more defining factor in personal relationships.