My research interests lie on the field of political economy. The focus of my current research is in understanding the effects of the 2008 financial crisis particularly on public opinion and political institutions. Since 2008, in Europe, we observe with increasing frequency cases of snap elections, weak coalition governments and a significant decline in the levels of trust citizens report towards national and European institutions. In my dissertation, “Essays on trust, corruption and political institutions”, I explore the role of different socio-economic and political factors in determining political trust.