Research conducted by five European daily newspapers show that Poles are the most distrustful of politicians and are pessimistic as to the prognosis of economic improvement.

The research, which was undertaken by the Polish Gazeta Wyborcza, British Guardian, French Le Monde, Spanish El Pais and the German Der Spiegel, found that overall, pessimism rules in Europe.

Analysis of the research reveals that the financial crisis and cuts in states’ expenditure paint a black perspective for the future, which is accompanied by a total lack of trust in the governments.

Only 6 percent of respondents declared total confidence in the ruling elites, 46 percent are rather wary of them. 32 percent do not believe in them at all.

The most distrustful are Poles (82 percent) and Germans (80 percent), while the best results have been scored by the British ruling elites, which are discredited by only 66 percent of respondents.

Poles not only distrust politicians but they are also very critical of them, with only 3 percent believing in politicians’ honesty.

Some 44 percent of Poles have faith in the improvement of the economic situation, while the most pessimistic are the French with 72 percent believing the worst is yet to come.

The research opens a series of publications devoted to modern day Europe. (ab/jb)