Crisis of institutions deepening in Greece

by Yiannis Mavris

The Memorandum has further exacerbated the previously existing, very deep crisis of the delegitimization of representative institutions, banks and the news media. At the same time, the social polarization that has come about is distinctly reflected by the parallel growth of support within Greek society not only for repressive mechanisms (armed forces, police) but also for institutions of unmediated popular sovereignty (people/citizens, social movements).

The Greek Index of Confidence in Institutions (GICI), compiled by Public Issue, is a significant scientific tool for the comparative evaluation over time of social confidence in the most important domestic institutions. The confidence felt by citizens in institutions of governance, the economy and society constitutes a key parameter in a country’s political and economic stability.

The survey by Public Issue, which was first conducted in 2007 [1], was again carried out this year, on behalf of the“Editors’ Newspaper” (EFSYN), in a political conjuncture that continues to be extremely challenging. On account of the ongoing crisis, it takes on particular importance and indeed is more topical than ever.

The 16 institutions chosen for this year’s measurement (from a total of 48 included in the initial survey) cover a broad spectrum of social life: governance, businesses, civil society and news media. The different indices, constructed for each institution separately, provide a highly detailed “map” of prevailing social attitudes towards institutions in Greece today.

The fact that the survey was first established (2007) before the current crisis gives us a unique opportunity to track the development of support within society for institutions over the past eight years (2007-2014), which comprise the most important phase of the latter period since the restoration of democracy in Greece.

A time of decline, which followed the false social euphoria generated by the 2004 Olympic Games.

Confidence indices (CI) 

A representative sample of Greek citizens report, quantitatively, the confidence they feel in each social institution. From their responses, a confidence index (CI) is then constructed for each institution separately. Each index results from the ratio of positive/negative opinions about the institution in question, i.e. the percentage of respondents who express confidence in it, relative to the percentage expressing distrust in it. Hence, a score of 100in the confidence index denotes an equal number of positive and negative attitudes towards the institution. An index score of 200 denotes that the number of citizens expressing confidence in the institution is double the number expressing distrust. While a score of 50 means that negative attitudes are double the number of positive ones.

Effects of the crisis

1) In 2011, social confidence in representative institutions (Parliament, Political Parties) reached an all time low. The slight recovery seen today (unfortunately, no data are available for 2012-2013), most likely came about after elections in 2012. The total lack of confidence remains.

2) The President of the Republic remained, up to 2009, the only political institution in which Greeks felt confidence. This may have been due also to the fact that the President is not actively involved in the decision-making process. The consolidation of this positive rating was facilitated by the initially widespread acceptance of both the current President, Karolos Papoulias, and his predecessor, Kostis Stephanopoulos. However, after four years of the Memorandum, even the Presidency has not escaped unscathed. This year’s index reveals a striking drop in social confidence in this institution too. The President has been apportioned some of the political blame for the country’s situation. Unfortunately, no data are available for 2010-2013, so a more detailed periodization of this decline is not possible.

3) The simultaneous increase in confidence in the Armed Forces, the Police and the Church, but also in thePeople (Citizens) and Social movements provides a clear indication of the ideological polarization (conservatization/radicalization) being generated by the crisis.

4) The Banks (the banking sector) have completely lost the confidence of citizens, while the confidence in the Bank of Greece has also undergone significant subsidence, compared to 2009.

News media credibility crisis worsening

5) The political crisis is also being translated into a worsening credibility crisis for the News Media. As revealed for the first time by the 2009 survey, this crisis now includes the Internet (with the exception of 2011, a year marked by mass mobilization. However, the clear dividing line between most interactive media (radio, Internet) and non-interactive media (television, newspapers) is becoming even sharper. Among the various news media, Radiocontinues to have the highest confidence rating in Greece, although here too there has been a decline in its social acceptance over time. One important finding is the fact that the Internet, which was measured for the first time in 2008, continues to be placed 2^nd among media (and 10^th in the overall confidence ranking for 2014) but has suffered a significant decline in confidence relative to the high level of support recorded in 2011. A constant decline in the confidence index can also be seen in the case of Newspapers, as well as already seriously undermined Television, social acceptance of which is at a nadir, completely in step with that of the political parties. Television and political parties steadily occupy the bottom positions among institutions.

 This post appeared on www.mavris.gr and is published with permission