Thirty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, today’s eastern Europeans are fearful for the future of democracy, sceptical of government and the main political parties, and distrustful of the media, according to a new survey.But despite what the report’s authors call “alarming levels” of distrust in democratic systems and the media, many also believe they can influence politics and improve society, with younger people – especially women – engaging in civic activity and optimistic about achieving positive change. More than half of 18- to 22-year-old women said they thought LGBT groups should be more protected, for example, compared to only 31% of men. Similarly, significantly higher proportions of young women than young men thought refugees and immigrants should be given greater protection.