Analysis by YIANNIS MAVRIS* There is no doubt that the appointment of Lucas Papademos as leader of Greece’s interim government will accelerate the process of deconstruction/transformation of the domestic party system. Trend toward deconstruction of the party system The convergence of the two longstanding government parties, which has taken place for the first time on…
Analysis by YIANNIS MAVRIS* The initiative taken by George Papandreou in announcing on the evening of Monday, 31 October his intention to hold a referendum for the approval of the new loan agreement acted as a fuse for the further deepening of the political crisis. Under the pressure of widespread political reactions not only and…
Public opinion toward the transformation of the ruling party over time Analysis by YIANNIS MAVRIS* The 30th anniversary of the socialists coming to power (18/10/1981) finds PASOK at the lowest point in its history since the restoration of democracy in Greece. The ruling party – which at some time in their life has been voted…
How the attitudes of public opinion have varied over the past four months Analysis by YIANNIS MAVRIS* The attitudes of Greek public opinion toward the crisis and the euro have varied during the past four months in a way that would appear to reveal certain contradictions: Increasing ideological confusion, with the feeling of outrage still…
The short-lived euphoria of 21 July Analysis by YIANNIS MAVRIS* The ‘rallying effect’ created in the ruling party’s favor by the agree-ment of 21 July, thanks also to the wholehearted support of the me-dia, lasted for just two weeks. The social and political ‘euphoria’ generated by the deal turned out to be ‘momentary’. At the…
Strengthening mainly of ND and SYRIZA Analysis by YIANNIS MAVRIS* The July measurement of the Political Barometer reveals increasing polarization of the political and social climate. The Greek parliament’s enactment of the mid-term austerity program, the significant escalation of social protests and the severity of the police response have had a catalytic impact on the…
Analysis by YIANNIS MAVRIS* Introduction The result of the parliamentary election of 16 September 2007 demonstrated, for the second time after the prefectural elections of October 2006, that during the first (uncompleted) term in power of the conservative New Democracy party there was no substantial shift in the electorate, nor was the clear lead of…
Sharp decline in PASOK’s electoral support and G. Papandreou’s standing Analysis by YIANNIS MAVRIS* The sharp decline in the ruling party’s electoral support and the prime minister’s standing are causing a rapid transformation of the political scene. For yet another month, PASOK’s electoral support continued its free fall. In just 30 days, the ruling socialists…
Analysis by YIANNIS MAVRIS* The new historical low recorded for the (social and) electoral support (vote estimate 32%) for the ruling party is testing not only its social cohesion but also its administrative capacity, while it is clearly not enough to secure a parliamentary majority in the event of an electoral ‘upset’. In a possible…
Reconfiguration of the political scene continues unabated Analysis by YIANNIS MAVRIS* The current seizing-up of the domestic two-party system has now surpassed all historical precedents. It bears no relation whatsoever to the tremors felt in the 1990s, nor to the recent slump of 2008. The total lack of political leadership and the inherent inability to…