Trust in institutions in Greece is declining, and around one-third of Greeks expressing doubt that any of the current political parties will provide a better future.
A new comprehensive study, titled “The X-ray of Voters,” released by the think tank Eteron, delves into the political and social attitudes of Greek citizens beyond immediate electoral preferences.
Surveying 2,574 citizens aged 17 and older from across Greece, the study serves as a follow-up to a similar report released in March 2023. The key findings shed light on shifting political attitudes, increasing discontent with political institutions, and growing uncertainty regarding traditional party lines.
Declining Trust in Institutions
The study reveals a continuing decline in trust in Greek institutions, with only 13.6% of respondents trusting political parties and 6.2% trusting the media. Despite this, 79.3% of citizens still support parliamentary democracy, although 74.3% express dissatisfaction with how democracy functions in Greece.
Political Engagement
Despite declining trust, political interest remains high, with 74.7% of citizens stating they are quite or very interested in politics.
Crisis of Representation
A significant 34% of respondents feel that neither the center-left nor the center-right can offer a better future for Greece, marking a sharp increase from 27.6% in 2023. This growing sense of political impasse reflects a deeper crisis of representation within the Greek political system.
Ideological Shifts
The traditional “Left-Right” distinction appears to be losing relevance. Only 32.9% of citizens consider the distinction important, a drop from 36.1% in 2023. Meanwhile, 36% of respondents do not identify with either the “systemic” or “anti-systemic” political poles.
20.9% of Greek citizens identify most closely with social democracy.
Right-wing parties are perceived as more ideologically consistent compared to left-wing parties, which display more internal diversity.
Political and Social Attitudes
63.5% of Greeks believe military spending should be reduced.
62.1% feel the state should have more control over economic affairs.
On social issues, 37.8% of respondents oppose same-sex marriage, while 64.9% view the rise of the far-right in Europe negatively.
International Relations
40.9% of citizens do not support either side in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, while 35.1% express support for the Palestinian cause.
42.3% are neutral regarding the Russia-Ukraine conflict, while 33.1% support Ukraine.
Trust in Democracy and Political System
Despite overall dissatisfaction with political parties and the media, 79.6% of citizens agree that penalties for illegal activities should be stricter. Additionally, 84.9% reject the idea that dictatorship is preferable to democracy, and 83.3% oppose the concept of a “strong prime minister” without parliamentary checks.
