From Energy Shock to Trust Shock: Crisis Management and Political Trust in the European Union

The 2022 Russian-Ukrainian war exposed the vulnerability of European energy systems and triggered a far-reaching energy crisis that quickly evolved into a test of state capacity and crisis governance in the EU. As energy prices surged, inflationary pressures intensified, generating socio-economic strain and challenging governments’ ability to maintain public trust. This paper examines how socio-economic conditions and crisis-driven regulatory interventions shaped political trust during the 2022/2023 energy emergency. Drawing on cross-national data, we find that among several socio-economic indicators, unemployment and corruption perceptions had the strongest effects on trust in government. Moreover, the specific regulatory instruments adopted to shield households and firms—such as price caps, targeted subsidies, and market interventions—played a significant role in shaping citizens’ evaluations of governmental crisis management. Our results contribute to emerging debates in public policy and political science by demonstrating how socio-economic vulnerabilities interact with crisis governance tools to influence political trust during turbulent periods. The findings underscore the importance of transparent, equitable, and credible policy responses in sustaining democratic legitimacy during multi-faceted crises.