sfiducia

Sfiducia is the Italian noun for a lack of trust or confidence in a person, institution, or situation. In ordinary usage it conveys suspicion or doubt about reliability or integrity. In political discourse it denotes a formal instrument—usually a motion of no confidence—by which a legislature withdraws its support from a government or a minister.

Etymology: The term derives from fiducia (trust) with a negative prefix s-; the sense of negation has established sfiducia as the term for distrust and for the parliamentary instrument of removal.

General usage: In interpersonal contexts, sfiducia captures an erosion of confidence caused by inconsistent behavior, breaches of promise, or perceived dishonesty. It can describe distrust toward institutions such as the judiciary or public administration and may influence decision-making and relations.

Political use: In Italy, a motion of sfiducia can be directed against the government or against a minister. If the motion fails, the government remains; if it succeeds, the government or minister is removed. A "sfiducia costruttiva" is a form of constructive no-confidence that requires the legislature to propose and appoint a new prime minister alongside the removal of the old one; this mechanism aims to prevent a governance vacuum.

In political science and comparative politics, sfiducia is discussed alongside fiducia, no-confidence motions, and constructive no-confidence mechanisms.