One quarter of Romanians (25.5%) have a great deal or fairly high trust in the justice system (9.5% a great deal, 16% say they have fairly high trust), while 70.5% state that they have little, very little or no trust at all (25.7% fairly little and 44.8% very little or none), while, 4% do not know or did not answer, according to the latest survey conducted by INSCOP Research.
According to the sociological research, voters of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), people aged between 18 and 44, and those with primary education are the population categories that show a slightly higher level of trust in the justice system than the population average. Higher-than-average levels of distrust are recorded especially among Save Romania Union (USR) voters, people over 60 years old, those with higher education, and residents of large urban areas, agerpres reports.
The data show that 92.3% of respondents believe it is very important or fairly important for Romania to have an independent justice system (73.7% consider it very important, while 18.6% believe it is fairly important). Only 3.5% of Romanians believe it is fairly unimportant or not important at all for the country to have an independent justice system (1.3% fairly unimportant and 2.2% not important at all), while 4.2% do not know or did not answer.
Almost a quarter (23.7%) of those interviewed believe that Romania's justice system is independent of political influence, while 67.4% consider that it is not. At the same time, 8.6% do not know, and 0.4% did not respond.
The INSCOP research shows that those who believe the judicial system is independent of political influence, in proportions slightly above the population average, are mainly PSD and AUR voters, people aged between 30 and 44, those with primary education, and residents of rural areas. Those who believe the judicial system is not independent of political influence, in higher-than-average proportions, are mainly USR voters, young people under 30, individuals with higher education, residents of Bucharest and large urban areas, and public sector employees.
When asked to what extent they believe the law is applied equally to all citizens, 5.7% of respondents say to a very great extent (down from 12.6% in April 2025), and 10.9% to a fairly great extent (down from 17.2% in April 2025). Cumulatively, in April 2025, 19.8% believed to a very great or fairly great extent that the law is applied equally to all citizens, with the percentage decreasing to 16.6% in January 2026. Less than one third (30.1%) believe this happens to a fairly small extent (compared to 25.9% in April 2025), while 50.1% believe it happens to a very small extent or not at all (compared to 42.6% in April 2025). Overall, the share of those who believe to a fairly small extent, very small extent or not at all that the law is applied equally increased from 68.5% in April 2025 to 80.2% in January 2026. The proportion of non-responses stands at 3.2% (compared to 1.7% in April 2025).
According to the survey, those who believe that the law is applied equally to all citizens to a great or fairly great extent, in slightly higher proportions than the population average, are mainly PSD and the National Liberal Party (PNL) voters and young people under 30. Those who believe the law is applied equally to all citizens to a small or very small extent, or not at all, in higher-than-average proportions, are mainly USR and AUR voters, as well as residents of small urban areas.
The data were collected between 12 and 15 January, using questionnaire-based interviews. Data collection was carried out using the CATI method (telephone interviews). The sample consisted of 1,100 respondents, selected through a simple, stratified sampling method, and is representative of the non-institutionalised population of Romania aged 18 and over, across key socio-demographic categories (gender, age, occupation).
The maximum admitted margin of error is ą3%, at a confidence level of 95%.
The Informat.ro Barometer - INSCOP Research is a monthly public opinion survey conducted by INSCOP Research at the request of the news platform Informat.ro, in partnership with the Strategic Thinking Group think tank.
According to INSCOP Research director Remus Stefureac, the data indicate a structural divide between normative attachment to the idea of an independent justice system and citizens' concrete experience, which perceives the system as vulnerable to external influences and unequal in its functioning.
"A sociological paradox is emerging: it is precisely the more educated, urban groups, more connected to public life, that are the most critical, a sign that distrust does not stem from disinterest, but from high expectations and informed evaluations. The negative evolution of perceptions regarding the equal application of the law points to an accelerated erosion of institutional legitimacy, with the potential to fuel either a sense of revolt or civic cynicism, resignation and withdrawal from democratic participation. Overall, justice is perceived more as a necessary ideal than as a functional reality, which represents a major medium-term risk for social cohesion and trust in the Romanian state," Remus Stefureac stressed, according to the INSCOP website.
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