WP228: Institutional trust and citizen participation in Benin – Afrobarometer

Abstract 

This study examines the association of institutional trust with citizen participation in Benin, based on  data from the Afrobarometer Round 10 (2024) survey. The results show that trust in the judiciary is  positively associated with certain forms of engagement, particularly dialogue with local elected  officials and participation in protests. In contrast, trust in the executive is negatively associated with  media contact and protest participation, while trust in Parliament is positively associated with  protest participation. Predicted probabilities further confirm these patterns, indicating substantial  differences in participation depending on levels of institutional trust, particularly for protest, media  contact, and dialogue with local representatives. Additionally, socio-demographic factors such as  gender, age, and access to technology are associated with these patterns, underscoring the  importance of the social context and available resources for participation. These findings contribute  to debates on multidimensional institutional trust and civic engagement in emerging democracies  and suggest that disaggregating trust by institution is essential for understanding its varied  associations with different forms of participation.