The Impact of Natural Disasters on Political Trust

The aim of this study is to examine the impact of natural disasters on political trust. Natural disasters are interpreted as a type of crisis which features characteristics that are similar to other types of crises (such as man-made disasters), for example in regards to vulnerability and impact on social systems. Past research has studied political long-term effects of natural disasters through for example retrospective voting, or changes in attitudes towards civic engagement. This study has a slightly different approach and focuses on possible effects on political trust that occur immediately after a natural disaster. A discussion of the result’s meaning for crisis management and recovery is included. The study uses data from the European Social Survey (ESS) and examines the impact of natural disasters on political trust in a quantitative analysis of multiple cases of extreme weather events in Europe.