June the 22nd, 2026 – The latest HRejting survey has revealed that Croats trust the military the most, while the problematic judiciary receives the least confidence of all.
The latest HRejting survey has shown that Croats have the greatest confidence in the country’s military, while the judiciary remains the institution with the lowest level of public trust. These latest results reveal a clear difference between institutions associated with national security and those connected to the legal system, where dissatisfaction appears to be much stronger. HRT reported on the findings, which were published by Index.
According to the survey, the institution that citizens trust the most is the Croatian Armed Forces. A total of 23.8% of respondents said that the military is the institution they trust the most. This result places the armed forces clearly ahead of all other institutions and suggests that the military continues to enjoy a strong reputation among the public.
The second-highest level of trust was recorded for science and higher education, with 15% of respondents choosing these fields as the institutions they trust the most. This indicates that academic and scientific institutions maintain a relatively positive image among citizens, especially compared with political and legal institutions.
Healthcare followed in third place, with 13.8% of respondents expressing the highest trust in the healthcare system. Despite frequent public debates about problems within healthcare, such as waiting lists and staffing issues, it remains one of the institutions that citizens rely on the most.
The education system, including primary and secondary schools, received 11.4% of support. Schools were followed closely by the police, which received 10.9% of respondents’ trust. The police ranking among the higher-trusted institutions shows that citizens still generally view law enforcement more positively than other parts of the state administration.
The Catholic Church in Croatia was selected by 10.6% of respondents, placing it in the middle of the ranking. Although the Church remains an important institution in Croatian society, the survey suggests that it no longer holds the same level of public trust as some other institutions, particularly compared with previous decades.
The lowest level of trust was recorded for the judiciary, with only 0.8% of respondents saying that it was the institution they trusted the most. The result points to continued public dissatisfaction with courts and the justice system. Issues such as the length of court proceedings, perceptions of inefficiency, and concerns about fairness have often been cited as reasons for low confidence in judicial institutions.
The survey also showed that a portion of citizens expressed general distrust: 7.6% said they did not trust any institution, while 5.8% of respondents were undecided or did not provide an answer.
Overall, the HRejting results show that Croats place the most confidence in institutions perceived as stable, professional, and less politically influenced, such as the military, science, and healthcare. At the same time, the very low ranking of the judiciary highlights a major challenge for public institutions seeking to improve credibility and restore citizens’ confidence in the legal system.
