Geneva : On the eve of International Day of Parliamentarism and the Organization’s 136th anniversary on 30 June, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has released the results of its annual parliamentarians’ perceptions poll.
The results provide a comprehensive snapshot of the views, motivations and concerns of the global parliamentary community.
The poll, conducted online from 5 to 13 June 2025, drew close to 800 responses from current and former MPs, parliamentary staff and experts, and incorporated new in-depth analysis by region, gender, status and key socioeconomic indicators.
Key global challenges: Climate change, war and democracy
Consistent with last year’s findings, respondents identified climate change, war and armed conflict, and the weakening of democracies as the top three most urgent global challenges.
Income inequality also emerged as a top concern at the national level. Notably, the number of those polled citing a perceived threat to democracy increased significantly compared with 2024 (+7 percentage points).
Artificial intelligence, digital hate and misinformation also rose in the rankings of global challenges compared with 2024 (+2 and +4 percentage points respectively)
Optimism persists
Despite these challenges, optimism remains robust: 58% of respondents are very optimistic or somewhat optimistic about their country’s future (virtually unchanged from 2024), while over 50% are optimistic about the world’s future — a five-point increase from last year. Current MPs are more optimistic than former MPs.
The survey revealed a paradoxical inverse relationship between optimism and national development indicators. Respondents from countries with lower Human Development Index rankings, lower per capita gross domestic product (GDP), and higher Gini coefficients (indicating more inequality) reported higher levels of optimism. This trend was especially pronounced in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, and among male respondents.
Decline in feelings of safety
While most parliamentarians and staff reported feeling very safe or somewhat safe in their work environments (62% in total), this is significantly lower than last year (75%). Respondents from the Americas and Sub-Saharan Africa felt the least safe in parliament.
Those who have served in parliament are highly likely to seek re-election, with workplace environment and public perceptions of politicians cited as the most influential factors in that decision.
Interestingly, even among those who reported feeling very unsafe, a significant proportion still intend to run again — highlighting a strong sense of duty and resilience among elected officials.
Gender and regional differences
While responses were largely consistent across regions, genders and status, several notable exceptions emerged:
Gender-based discrimination and violence: Women parliamentarians identified gender-based discrimination and violence as a significant concern, a view not shared by their male counterparts.
Migration: Respondents in North America and Europe ranked migration as a more pressing issue than those in Asia and the Middle East/Africa.
Trade wars: Parliamentarians from the United States’ principal allies (Australia, Canada, Ireland, United Kingdom) consider trade wars a greater concern than respondents from other countries.
United States: US-based respondents uniquely ranked the weakening of democracies as their top issue, underscoring heightened concerns about democratic institutions in their country.
Career satisfaction
Respondents remain divided on whether they would recommend a political career to their children, with roughly equal percentages for and against across all categories. Current and former MPs, as well as those who feel optimistic and safe, are more likely to recommend politics as a career. This, combined with the high proportion willing to run for office again, suggests a generally high level of job satisfaction among elected officials.
For the first time, the poll asked about motivations for service. The primary drivers were the desire to shape legislation and policy, and to help one’s community or constituency — reinforcing the conclusion that an enduring commitment to public service is prevalent among MPs.
About the data: New socioeconomic cross-tabulations
The results of the 2025 IPU perceptions poll are based on nearly 800 responses, 51% male and 49% female.
Current and former MPs make up 31% of responses, current and former staff make up 43%, and others 28%.
Fury at ‘unacceptable’ waste as Parliament brings in new £150k-a-year ‘commercial’ boss after Lords shambles over £10m gates that don’t work
London: Fresh fury has been aimed at Parliament’s ‘unacceptable and unnecessary’ spending following the hiring of a new top boss on a bumper salary.
The role of ‘chief commercial officer’ – based at the Palace of Westminster – has been advertised with a salary of around £150,000.
But it has been claimed the total cost of the hire will be nearer £1million over the next four years, at a time when other budgets are being squeezed.
This is once pension contributions and other costs, such as a headhunting fee, are factored in.
Lord Hayward, the Tory peer, also used a letter to Parliament’s management to hit out at ‘obfuscation’ as to whether it is an ‘additional role’.
The appointment comes amid plans to establish a joint commercial department between the House of Commons and House of Lords.
‘In the private sector merging departments normally results in a reduction of staff but it would appear not in Parliamentary management terms,’ Lord Hayward wrote.
The former MP also highlighted other examples of eye-watering spending, including £9.6million on a new front door that doesn’t open properly.
Lord Hayward added: ‘At a time when all aspects of government and individuals are having to cut expenditure severely… management of the parliamentary estate seem willing to spend money on costs which any ordinary person would find unacceptable and unnecessary.’
There is a new front door at the main entrance to the House of Lords, known as the Peers’ Entrance, following the approval of an upgrade in March 2022.
It has since sparked anger after its £9.6million cost was revealed – a nearly 60 per cent increase from the original estimate of £6.1 million.
Peers said earlier this month it is still not fully accessible for disabled peers and requires a permanent member of staff on site ‘to press the button to open the door’.
In his letter, Lord Hayward said the ‘ongoing cost of security at Peers’ Entrance appears to be… more than £2,500 per week’.
‘Why is the taxpayer even covering for this?,’ he added.
Lord Hayward also criticised the ongoing cost of employing ‘traffic marshals’ on the parliamentary estate, when he claimed there were ‘much cheaper alternatives’.
‘The most public example of this ongoing cost which management appears willing to accept is the marshal at carriage gates,’ he wrote.
‘They have no role. The police and security control the vehicles and public going in and out of the estate.
‘This individual position doing nothing costs at minimum £66,000 per annum.
‘Can I please ask when parliamentary management is intending to acknowledge that it is spending unwarranted sums while individuals, the nation and government are short of money?’
A House of Lords spokesperson said: ‘Providing services that are value for public money is a key priority for the House of Lords Administration, as is ensuring effective systems of governance and financial management are in place to support this.
‘Our approach is subject to rigorous oversight by the House Finance and Audit and Risk Assurance Committees and is set out transparently in our annual report and accounts.’
(Courtesy : Daily Mail)
