New anxieties grip Greeks in 2024
Economic insecurity, climate crisis, demographics rank high, with religious sentiment still firm
Tapping into the values and beliefs permeating Greek society, a survey by the Dianeosis think-tank shows that the return of economic insecurity, the consequences of climate change and the demographic issue are seen as major threats to the country’s future.
The first part of the survey on “What Greeks believe in 2024” – conducted in January by Metron Analysis for Dianesois, which has been steadily monitoring for the attitudes and perceptions of Greek society almost a decade – also confirms the loosening of ties with political parties and the relative stability of religious sentiment.
The country’s economic situation is now seen as a major threat, amid an environment of persistent price pressures compared to 2019 and 2022. It is followed by the demographic issue, and climate change in third.
Although the results show an encouraging current of social modernization, they also reflect a fairly strong conservative leaning.
Some typical examples are the agreement of 60% with the right of same-sex couples to marry, an upward trend compared to 52% in 2022, 41% in 2019 and 36% in 2015.
However, on the flip side, feelings toward AI are more negative (51%) than positive (39%). One in two believe that climate change “is an invention of rich countries at the expense of poor countries,” while one in four believe that climate change is an unsolvable problem. Surprisingly, NGOs place last in the category measuring trust in institutions, having the highest percentage of zero trust (49.6%).
For young Greeks the number one concern (41%) is low income. Unemployment is also of great concern (40%) but significantly lower compared to 2022 (67%). A new entry on the list of concerns is the housing crisis (13%), followed by the inability to form a family.
As for violence, 29% state that they have suffered sexual harassment, a relatively stable percentage over time, and increased among women (38%). Moreover, 43% state that there is an increasing trend of such incidents, while the majority (56%) stated that they are not increasing, but more visible.
While since 1981 all findings indicated strong religious sentiment (80% believe in God), something rare for an EU member state, a closer look reveals a partial retreat, with 27% saying they are indifferent to religion – a steady climb from 18% in 2018
