Hundreds of seasonal firefighters attend a protest outside the Civil Protection Ministry to demand year-round contracts, in Athens, Thursday. [Thanassis Stavrakis/AP Photo]
The most interesting thing to emerge from Wednesday’s MRB poll is insight into what citizens consider the country’s biggest problems, which should also be of concern to the government.
They are not too concerned about crime (15%) or about immigration (13.8%), which means that ruling New Democracy has no reason to go fishing for support in the waters to its right by hardening its stance on these two issues. Law and order and xenophobia are two areas that will do nothing to enhance its image.
Moreover, just 6.8% of respondents are concerned about foreign policy, so the rebellion former prime minister Antonis Samaras tried to stir inside the conservative party doesn’t hold much promise. The number of votes that can be relied on from far-right supporters is relatively stable in Greece so it is futile for the government to abandon the center in favor of penetrating the ultra-conservative camp. Hardcore far-right voters will continue to support the authentic parties that express their views, not their poor imitations.
Where the prime minister and his ministers need to turn their attention is to three key areas that represent the problems of day-to-day life: rising prices (58.3%), health (45%) and education (21.6%). These are the issues that cause a sense of fear (49.4%), anger (46.9%), and resignation and frustration (39.1%) in Greek public opinion. Salaries are insufficient to cover monthly expenses. The public transportation system is falling apart, with more and more services being abolished and filthy trains and buses. The public health system is deteriorating, while the responsible minister spars with citizens on social media. In schools and state universities, the country’s young people are dealing with inequality every day, as they compare their circumstances with peers who can afford private education or attend foreign universities.
Does the governing party care about any of this? Its stance suggests it has decided that it has already lost this part of the electoral body and can do nothing to win it back.
New Democracy’s lead with less than 25% is due solely to the fragmentation of the party system. There is, however, a section of silent, dissatisfied voters who are seeking political representation. An opposition that was more convincing and more unified could effectively express these concerns, provided there is greater empathy and less narcissism within the center-left. At the very least, let its leaders get on a bus and visit a public hospital when it’s on emergency duty.