Saudi Arabia tops global government trust rankings at 87%, Edelman Survey reveals

Saudi Arabia ranks as the most trusted government in the world with an 87% trust rate, according to the newly released 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer, the Saudi Gazette reported Wednesday.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) also performed strongly in the rankings, securing the third position globally with a government trust rate of 74%, behind Saudi Arabia and China. This reflects a broader pattern of high institutional trust among Gulf monarchies, which have invested heavily in citizen welfare and economic development programs.

The two Gulf countries outperformed developed Western democracies by wide margins, with the United States (47%), United Kingdom (43%), and Germany (41%) showing significantly lower levels of public trust in their governments.

This achievement comes amid Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's ambitious Vision 2030 program, which seeks to diversify the kingdom's economy away from oil dependence while implementing social reforms.

Saudi Arabia's economic reforms have gained momentum in recent years, with the Public Investment Fund (PIF) driving large-scale development projects including NEOM, the futuristic city being built in the northwest of the country.

The annual Edelman survey, which measures trust across institutions worldwide, also showed Saudi Arabia leading globally in future outlook, with 69% of citizens believing the next generation will be better off — a stark contrast to most developed nations where fewer than half of respondents expressed such optimism.

Analysts point to Vision 2030's focus on institutional stability and governance as key factors contributing to the high trust ratings. The Saudi government has implemented numerous reforms in recent years, including allowing women to drive, opening the country to international tourism, and hosting major global entertainment and sporting events.

The Edelman Trust Barometer, now in its 25th year, surveyed over 33,000 respondents across 28 countries between October and November 2024.