1. The Crisis of Political Parties

• Political parties are often said to be facing a crisis due to their unpopularity and the indifference of citizens. ⚖️
• Despite these claims, the situation in India shows that the crisis may not be as severe as it seems. 🧐
• There is a widespread belief that political parties are losing trust, but this belief is only partly true based on available evidence. 📊

2. Trust in Political Parties

• Political parties in South Asia, including India, generally do not enjoy much trust among the people. 🙅‍♂️
• The proportion of people who say they have ‘not much’ or ‘no trust’ in political parties is higher than those who express ‘some’ or ‘great’ trust. 🔒
• This trend is not unique to India; it is observed in most democracies, where political parties are among the least trusted institutions globally. 🌍

3. Participation in Political Parties

• Despite low levels of trust, participation in political parties is still fairly high in India. 👥
• The proportion of people who report being members of political parties in India is higher than in many advanced countries like Canada, Japan, Spain, and South Korea. 🌏
• This indicates a significant level of engagement with political parties, despite the lack of trust in them. 📈

4. Growing Membership and Affiliation

• Over the last three decades, there has been a steady increase in the proportion of people in India who claim to be members of political parties. 📅
• Additionally, the percentage of people who report feeling ‘close’ to a political party has also been rising. ❤️
• This trend suggests a growing political engagement and perhaps a shift in how people relate to political parties, despite the broader mistrust. 🔄