People of Greece – Weekly snapshot 11-17/9

Week 11-17/9:

This week, Greeks:

discussed the new tax measures announced by the Prime Minister at the Thessaloniki International Fair, as well as Alexis Tsipras’ speech on the sidelines of the fair
followed developments in the murder case of far-right activist Charlie Kirk in the US
went shopping for school supplies and considered the options and possibilities for extracurricular activities they could offer their children
reflected, at the beginning of a new period, on their level of satisfaction with life in a big city and a provincial town.

What do we learn about Greece and the Greeks from this week’s findings?

Greeks appear cautious and skeptical about the Prime Minister’s policy announcements at the Thessaloniki International Fair. With the exception of the measure to reduce tax rates for families with children, which is considered essential by the vast majority of citizens, the Prime Minister’s other announcements divide Greeks whether or not they are substantial. The measures presented by the Prime Minister at the TIF are considered to fall short of their expectations, while measures considered to be “communicative,” such as tax relief for young people, are considered ineffective.
Alexis Tsipras’ speech in Thessaloniki did not convince most people that it brought anything new. In general, there is fatigue from the political rhetoric that is recycled every year at the TIF.
There is little but real acceptance of gun ownership, especially among young people.
A significant portion of the population follows and comments on international developments, such as the Kirk murder, showing a connection to global discussions, but with a strong ideological filter.
Private education is considered attractive if financial means are available, with selection criteria differing for right-wingers (quality of teachers) and left-wingers (infrastructure).
Those who reject private schools do so for ideological/value-based reasons, stating that they fear the formation of an “elite mentality.”
The high cost of extracurricular activities reflects the fact that education is a significant financial burden for families. With the cost of extracurricular activities for a high school student exceeding €300 per month for more than half of Greeks, the cost of supplementary education leading to public university exceeds €9,000, which explains the preference of lower economic strata for private universities, as recorded by People of Greece last week, as the cost of extracurricular activities for a high school student preparing for admission to a public university becomes comparable to that of studying at a private university.
One in two Greeks want school textbooks to be updated frequently, a finding that reflects an interest in a more modern education.
Although those who would like to leave Athens or Thessaloniki for a city in the provinces outnumber those who would like to do the opposite, a significant percentage of young people under the age of 34 continue to seek opportunities in large cities. Those over 55 who wish to seek opportunities in large cities cite their need for more freedom and anonymity as their motivation.
What did the survey reveal?

People of Greece – Weekly snapshot 3-10/9

Week 3-10/9:

This week, Greeks:

watched the speeches of Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Alexis Tsipras on the sidelines of the Thessaloniki International Fair,
explored higher education options at newly established private universities, and
many of them weighed up the importance of job selection criteria,
and assessed the past summer in terms of opportunities for holidays and relaxation.

What do we learn about Greece and the Greeks from this week’s findings?

The issue of private universities is divisive and strongly linked to age, social class, and educational level. Younger and less privileged people view them positively, probably because they perceive public education as a mechanism that effectively excludes them, due to the high cost of prerequisites such as high school tutoring and accommodation in a city far from their families. Older and more educated people are more skeptical, showing confidence in the public system or reservations about privatization.
There is a crisis of representation and fatigue with regard to “established” politicians. Greeks appear very distrustful of political leaders: none of them exceeds 20% in terms of “usefulness,” while appearances at major events (TIF, Economist) do not substantially change the image of the leaders. Evidence of the need for new voices outside the traditional political scene is the high degree of usefulness recorded for Maria Karistianou.
Younger generations in Greece appear to be more demanding and more conscious of the quality of work, and less willing to compromise their personal values. Older generations remain more focused on compatibility with their studies and professional careers.
Economic inequalities are strongly reflected in leisure activities, as more than half of lower-income Greeks did not go on vacation. Island Greece is becoming increasingly inaccessible for many households due to cost, with mainland Greece being preferred for travel by car. Even when Greeks do travel, they see overtourism as a problem that detracts from the experience.

What did the survey reveal?

People of Greece – Weekly snapshot 27/8-3/9

Week 27/8-3/9:

After the end of summer, Greeks:

report their impressions of the scourge of the Greek summer, the fires, and how they were handled by the state authorities;
await the government’s announcements at the Thessaloniki International Fair and seek the thematic priorities for the country’s governance; question the usefulness of policies that have been implemented for years without any tangible results; and are concerned about the future of the country
question the usefulness of political leadership,
set their personal goals for the start of the post-summer period.

What do we learn about Greece and the Greeks from this week’s findings?

Citizens appear disappointed with the government’s handling of critical issues, such as the summer fires, while low approval ratings for political leaders and former prime ministers indicate a deeper crisis of confidence in the political system as a whole.
Even the government’s announcements at the Thessaloniki International Fair, although they are generating interest, are perceived more as words than as actions that will have an immediate positive impact on everyday life.
In terms of priorities, society appears to have consistent concerns, with one significant new addition: the fight against corruption, which now ranks at the top of the agenda, behind accuracy and health. At the same time, different social groups highlight different needs: young people are mainly concerned with issues related to their future and prospects, such as housing and immigration, while older people focus more on taxation and corruption.
A clear differentiation can also be seen at the political level, with the right-wing audience placing emphasis on immigration, demographic and tax issues, while centrists and leftists prioritize, in addition to accuracy, the fight against corruption, as well as issues such as housing for the former, and labor and education for the latter. This reflects a society that may agree on a general sense of dissatisfaction, but differs sharply on the solutions it seeks.
In the economic sphere, inflation remains the biggest headache, with citizens expressing support for proposals such as reducing VAT on food and fairer taxation of middle incomes. However, there is no consensus on the housing landscape; public opinion appears divided, with social housing and tax incentives standing out as relatively more popular policies.
The usefulness ratings for all political leaders and the two former prime ministers are extremely low, with Kyriakos Mitsotakis leading despite a drop in his rating compared to July’s measurement. There has also been a slight increase in the usefulness of left-wing leaders, mainly Alexis Tsipras and Socrates Famellos, at the expense of the usefulness of Zoi Konstantopoulou.
The mood among citizens at the start of autumn is rather cautiously negative. Less than half say they are optimistic, while their personal priorities focus not so much on grand ambitions as on basic needs: healthcare and financial stability. This reveals a weary society seeking security, reliability, and tangible results in everyday life.

What did the survey reveal?

People of Greece – Weekly snapshot 20-23/06/2025

This week, the People of Greece research platform recorded the views of Greeks on the establishment of a pre-trial committee to investigate the responsibilities of former Transport Minister K. Karamanlis and the general political effects of the Tempi accident, the opinion of Greeks on the recent SYRIZA congress, the possibility and necessity of calling early elections, estimates on the percentage of minors living below the poverty line in Greece, estimates on the duration of the war between Israel and Iran and on the role of the European Union in resolving the crisis.

The findings showed that:

Society insists on demanding accountability for the Tempi accident, even if it does not believe that the preliminary investigation will get to the truth. It does not trust – but it does not give up.
At the same time, the SYRIZA congress passes almost indifferently, underlining the lack of alternative political representation. The idea of early elections is treated more as a scenario than a solution.
An interesting finding comes from the assessment of child poverty: citizens underestimate the actual figure. This is not only indicative of a lack of information, but also of how the social normality has shifted – poverty, even when present, has become invisible.
At the international level, the Iran-Israel engagement reinforces the sense of instability and skepticism about Europe’s influence.
A society not easily moved, not easily trusted, but still watching and judging.

See in detail the opinion of Greeks in the infographics below.

Vote for the Pre-Inquiry Committee

Almost three out of five Greeks, and two out of five voters of the ND party, believe that the work of the pre-investigation committee that will examine the possible responsibility of former Infrastructure Minister Karamanlis in the Tempi accident will not contribute to the investigation of the truth.
Two out of five Greeks say that voting for Maria Karystianou’s proposal to refer her to the pre-trial committee was rational because it expanded the number of potential participants in the indictment. However, almost half of the voters of the ND party state that the voting of this proposal was politically motivated in order to create political tension.
The impact of the developments surrounding the Tempi accident remains strongly negative for the government, but there is a tendency for the negative impact on PASOK and SYRIZA to diminish and a clear diminishing of the negative impact on Justice.

Developments in SYRIZA

Only four out of ten Greeks, and only a little more than half of SYRIZA voters, say they are sufficiently informed about what happened at the SYRIZA congress.
Three out of four Greeks say that the SYRIZA congress was evidence of the crisis in which the party finds itself from 2023 onwards and not an opportunity to regroup its forces, as the current party leadership tried to present it. The opinion of SYRIZA voters does not differ from that of the overall sample.

Possibility of early elections

One in three Greeks consider it fairly likely to certain that early elections will be called within the next 12 months. Although the percentage appears stable compared to the survey three months ago, the percentage of those who rule out such a possibility has decreased significantly compared to the March 2025 survey.
Greeks are divided on the necessity of calling early elections, with voters of opposition parties overwhelmingly stating that early elections are necessary.

Poverty, social exclusion and youth

Most Greeks underestimate the proportion of minors living below the poverty and social exclusion line, even though they correctly estimate that the rate is among the five highest in the European Union.
A significant proportion of ND voters (29%) claim that the rate for Greece is close to the average in European countries, not higher.

Developments in the Middle East

One in two Greeks believe that the military attacks between Israel and Iran will last for several months and will not end sooner.
Almost two out of three Greeks believe that the European Union cannot take on the role of mediator to end the war in the Middle East.

People of Greece – Weekly snapshot 13-16/06/2025

This week the People of Greece research platform recorded the chances of Greeks supporting parties that could be founded by former prime ministers Mr. Tsipras and Samaras, their opinion on the strength and clarity of PASOK’s positions, but also on developments that could favor the party’s electoral performance, their opinion on the possibility of participation in elections of parties that do not accept democratic principles, their opinion on changes to the Highway Code, their opinion on the attitude of US President Trump on the issue of the generalization of war in the Middle East and the issue of the protests in California and, finally, their attitudes towards products with a Greek label.

The findings show that:

The “Tsipras party” gains the interest of a notable, but not impressive, part of the audience, in contrast to the case of the “Samaras party”, which seems to have very limited potential.
PASOK is unable to achieve a link with specific policies that would provide it with a distinct programmatic identity, while the party’s leadership is seen as a handicap.
The dissolution of the Spartans is perceived as a blow to the space that belonged to Golden Dawn until 2019.
The implementation of the new Road Traffic Code, i.e. another law that has just been passed, is not seen as a certainty by almost half of Greeks.
A quarter of Greeks continue to show their support for US President Trump, stating that they would not participate in the protests against the harsh immigration policy in California.
The demand for buying products with a Greek label is high, with the vast majority of Greeks saying they are even willing to buy products with a slightly higher price tag in case they are Greek.

See in detail the opinion of Greeks in the infographics below.

Formation of a party by Alexis Tsipras & Antonis Samaras

Two out of three Greeks predict that Alexis Tsipras will found a party before the next elections, while the prediction of Greeks is not as clear in the case of Antonis Samaras founding a party.
The “Tsipras party” gathers 6% of certain voters with a potential audience ceiling of 20%, while the “Samaras party” gathers only 1% of certain voters with a potential audience ceiling of 7%.

PASOK

42% of Greeks believe that there is no issue on which PASOK has the strongest and clearest positions, while the choices of the others are spread across many different issues, which shows the party’s inability to connect with specific issues.
There is a strong assessment that a change in PASOK’s leadership would favor the party (42%), while the assessment that the party should rule out any possibility of cooperation with ND is expressed more often (26%) than the assessment that the party should rule out such a possibility with the parties to its left (13%).

Dissolution of the Spartan Party

More than half of Greeks believe that the court decision to disqualify the three Spartan MPs from office has weakened the party, which until 2019 was represented by Golden Dawn.
On whether parties that do not accept democratic principles should participate in the elections, there is no clear answer from Greeks, with about two out of three responding that they should be excluded, but one out of three responding that they should participate.

New Road Traffic Code

Greeks are uncertain about the implementation of the new Road Traffic Code and the changes that have been passed.
The imposition of a fine of €350 for those using a mobile phone while driving, in addition to the hitherto foreseen penalty of removal of license plates and licenses, is seen as a measure likely to help reduce offenses, according to seven out of ten Greeks.

Developments in the Middle East

More than four out of five Greeks believe that US President Trump is in direct communication with Israel on the issue of the current military operations in the Middle East.

Violent protests in the state of California

One in five Greeks would join the protests taking place in California against President Trump’s harsh immigration policies. The percentage of left-wing voters who say they have such an intention is double that, approaching 40%.

Importance of country of origin of products

More than half of Greeks look for the country of origin of a product on its label.
Three out of four Greeks say they would buy a Greek product instead of a foreign one in order to support the national economy, and the same number would pay more to buy a Greek product if the price difference was small.

People of Greece – Weekly snapshot 6-9/6/2025

This week, the People of Greece research platform recorded the habits of Greeks around electoral choice and political debates, asked their opinion on the fairness of court decisions, traced the role of consumption in Greeks’ everyday life and the meaning of satisfaction from buying a product, and recorded the degree of use of online shops for supermarket purchases.

The findings show that:

Rationality, habit and momentary emotionalism equivalently describe the way Greeks decide their electoral choice. Family and place tradition is recorded as having a limited influence on shaping the voting choices of only 1/3 of the population.
Left, and right Greeks discuss politics, the former with those who disagree and the latter with those who agree. Centrists, on the other hand, more often avoid political discussions.
The vast majority of Greeks believe that court decisions in the country are not fair, with no dominant interpretation of this between the view that the law is not right and the view that the law is not properly applied by judges.
Consumption shows significant correlations with the emotional state of Greeks. Firstly, consumption is perceived as the optimal method of decompression from the tension of everyday life by more than 20% of Greeks and, above all, Greek women. Secondly, satisfaction with a purchased product is identified with the product’s ability to improve individual mood by ¼ of Greeks, and especially Greek women.
The pre-election and consumption habits of Greeks show a correlation, as those who show tendencies towards rationality in their electoral behavior are distinguished by corresponding tendencies in their consumption behavior (e.g. use of a shopping plan, satisfaction with the quality or usability of products purchased), while those who appear more momentary and emotional when making electoral choices do the same as consumers (e.g. propensity to consume as a way out of the tension of everyday life).
Online supermarkets are gaining a growing audience, especially among younger customers, although physical stores continue to be the main point of shopping.

See in detail the opinion of Greeks in the infographics below.

Habits of electoral behavior

One in three Greeks, mostly men and self-identified left-wingers, say that what they do most often before elections is to read and compare positions. One in four Greeks, mostly over 55, say that they simply replicate their previous vote without doing anything special. Finally, one in five Greeks, mostly women and self-identified right-wingers, say that what they do most often before elections is to scan the “mood of the moment” and decide “with a sense of the moment”.
One in three Greeks, mainly younger and right-wing self-identified Greeks, say that they take into account the tradition of their family or place when deciding how to vote.
More than half of Greeks say they often discuss politics, while just one in three say they avoid such discussions. Women and self-identified people in the center are the groups that most often avoid discussions.
Older voters and right-leaning voters tend to choose to discuss politics with people with whom they have common positions.

Judicial decision on the deadly fire at Mati

The awareness of the Court of Appeal’s decision on the defendants of the deadly fire in Mati is high, especially among the older age groups.
Four out of five Greeks agree with the view that judicial decisions in Greece are often not fair. As to the reason they attribute to the issuing of unfair judgments, Greeks are divided between those who think that the law is not right and those who think that judges do not apply the law correctly. Blaming judges is much stronger among left-wing voters.

Consumption habits

Greeks are divided in two in terms of the degree of planning their purchases, with half of them, mainly middle-aged and older, using a mental plan or list for their purchases, while the other half, mainly younger, are more often spontaneous in their purchases.
Greeks who choose their vote having studied positions and political programs during the election period are more likely to use a purchase plan, while those who choose based on a “sense of the moment” are more likely not to use one.
More than one in five Greeks choose consumption as a method of decompressing from the stress of their daily lives. The proportion is comparatively higher among young people and women.
Greeks who choose to vote based on a “sense of the moment” are more likely to turn to consumption as a method of decompression from the stress of their daily lives.
One in three young people under 35 identify the satisfaction of buying a product with the negotiation (‘bargaining’) to obtain it, rather than with the quality or usability of the purchased item.

Supermarket

Visiting a physical store to buy everyday consumer goods remains the main way Greeks shop, even though one in ten Greeks, and one in five Gen Z Greeks, use online stores either exclusively or as an equivalent to physical stores.

People of Greece – Weekly snapshot 30/5-2/6/2025

The People of Greece research platform asked Greeks for their opinion on their body image, revealing significant trends in body confidence in Greece. The findings shed light on the social pressures and perceptions that shape how we see ourselves, with women and young people facing particular challenges.

The findings showed that:

Women show lower physical confidence compared to men, indicating a significant gender difference.
Young people (17-34 years old) experience the lowest physical confidence compared to older people, reflecting the strong impact of social norms on younger people.
Weight is the main source of insecurity for women, while men tend to feel less pressured by it.
Women and young people are more likely to report feeling pressure to change their appearance because of social norms, with weight remaining a central issue.
Women and young people are more likely to want changes to their appearance if there were no barriers, unlike men and older people.

See the detailed opinion of Greeks in the infographics below.

Body and confidence

Using 10 questions related to the issue of body confidence of Greeks (the findings of which you can see below) we divided the population into 3 groups, high, medium and low body confidence, in order to record the demographic profile of these groups.

Body and confidence

Almost three out of four Greeks do some form of exercise or physical activity at least once a week, with gym or weights being the most popular activity for those aged 35 and under and daily walking the most popular for everyone else.
Over 40% of Greeks, and 60% of young people up to 35 years old, have occasionally or regularly used dietary supplements.
Social appearance patterns often put pressure on three out of ten Greeks and four out of ten Greek women, especially those in the younger age group.
Around six out of ten Greeks and seven out of ten Greek women, and even more and more in the younger age group, would change something about their appearance if it could be done risk-free and without cost.

People of Greece – Weekly snapshot 30/05-02/06/2025

This week, the People of Greece research platform asked Greeks for their opinion on the characteristics of the ideal leader, on the revelations of the OPEKEPE illegal funding scandal, on LGBTI community events, on the intimacy we feel towards members of the LGBTI community, and on the use of the online shopping platforms TEMU and SHEIN.

The findings showed that:

Honesty and moral consistency are the most important characteristics of the ideal leader, but also of high importance are the characteristics of a clear political direction, mainly from right-wing and older citizens, sensitivity to social inequalities, mainly from left-wing and younger voters, and distance from party mechanisms, mainly from middle-aged citizens.
Age and political self-positioning differentiate the desirable characteristics of the ideal leader, with younger generations preferring a leader outside traditional politics with a consensual decision-making profile, while older and right-wing voters attach greater importance to the leader’s political experience and party legitimacy and to a centralised decision-making profile.
The revelation of the scandal of illegal funding by the OPEKEPE is perceived as a confirmation of the widespread corruption affecting the country and not as a sign of a reversal of the phenomenon.
Attitudes towards LGBTQ community events appear increasingly negative over time, probably as a consequence of the extent and acuteness of the debate that began with the passage of the same-sex marriage equality bill in early 2024.
Familiarity with the identities of trans, queer and transgender people is still low, in contrast to the identities of gay and bisexual people, which show high levels of acceptance, particularly among younger age groups.
The online platforms TEMU and SHEIN are a central means of shopping for the vast majority of Greeks, especially young people, even after the imposition of a special tax on them.

See in detail the opinion of Greeks in the infographics below.

Leadership characteristics

Honesty and moral consistency, on the one hand, and clear political positions, on the other, are chosen by the vast majority of Greeks as the most desirable characteristics of the ideal leader.
Social justice, on the one hand, and restarting production, on the other, are chosen as the most desirable political narratives, with the former being preferred primarily by those who position themselves on the left and the latter by those who position themselves on the right.
Two out of three Greeks say they would like to see people “outside politics” in political leadership, but most feel that such a leader should have passed the electoral test in order to strengthen his or her political legitimacy. The age of the leader is judged as a non-important factor by most.
The consensual leadership style is chosen by 70% of Greeks as the most suitable for crisis management, while the centralized leadership style is chosen by only 30%. It is noted that the centralized style shows higher popularity among voters positioned on the right.

The OPEKEPE case

Almost two out of three Greeks believe that the revelation of the scandal of illegal funding by OPEKEPE will not lead to a reduction of corruption in Greece.
Four out of five Greeks believe that the money illegally given by OPEKEPE will not be returned to the state.

Pride Month – Pride Events

The awareness index for the LGBTI community’s actions for Pride Month is close to 45% of Greeks, but it remains much lower than the awareness of other current issues.
Only one in five Greeks express a positive attitude towards LGBTI community events, with the rate exceeding 30% among younger Greeks. Attitudes towards these events seem to clearly distinguish left-wing from right-wing voters, with the percentage of positive attitudes exceeding 40% for left-wing voters and being limited to 5% for right-wing voters.
Seven in ten Greeks say they feel comfortable being around a gay man or woman, but less than half feel the same when around trans, queer or transgender people. Awkwardness towards these three identities is most pronounced among those over 55, while those under 35 show the highest levels of familiarity with these identities.

Shopping from TEMU/SHEIN

Two out of three Greeks, and three out of four Greeks under 35, have made online purchases (mainly clothes, shoes and accessories) through the TEMU and SHEIN platforms in the last six months.
A tax of €2 per parcel sent from these platforms will only have a negative impact on 40% of users of the two platforms, who say that it will reduce the frequency of their purchases.
Two out of three Greeks say that the European Union should take more measures to protect local markets from excessive competition from the two platforms.

People of Greece – Weekly snapshot 23-26/05/2025

This week, the People of Greece research platform recorded the subjective perceptions of Greeks on the financial situation of their household and the course of the country’s economic situation, their degree of trust in a number of political and social institutions, as well as in their fellow citizens, their image of various business sectors, their views on the issue of the evaluation of civil servants and the abolition of permanent status, their stereotypes of Russians, Israelis and the Palestinians.

The findings showed that:

Greeks feel that they are experiencing a daily routine of marginal survival, while expectations for improvement of this daily routine are almost zero for the vast majority.
The “normalization of their difficulties” translates into a disdain for all institutions, except the Armed Forces and the Universities, for which a mild and ideologically untinged acceptance is recorded. On the contrary, the low levels of trust in the institutions of Parliament, the Government and the Opposition demonstrate the crisis of representation and legitimacy of political power.
The entrenched experience of social frustration creates a substrate of suspicion for the average Greek in his interpersonal relationships as well.
The evaluation of civil servants is a majority demand of citizens and civil servants alike, even when it is linked to the possibility of removing their permanent status. However, the raising of the issue by Kyriakos Mitsotakis creates reservations in a significant part of public opinion about the substance of the matter.
The traditional pro-Russianism of the Greeks has visibly shrunk as a consequence of the war in Ukraine, for which, however, the responsibility is shared by all sides.
The traditional anti-Semitism of the Greeks remains strong, as a consequence of the war in the Gaza Strip, for which the responsibility lies asymmetrically, in the opinion of the Greeks, with Israel.
Pro-Russianism shows no ideological colouring, while anti-Semitism – more as a symptom of pro-Palestinian positions – shows a strong “leftist colouring”.
Freddo Espresso is by far the most popular form of coffee in Greece, with Greek coffee following firmly behind as the traditional choice. However, the existence of a variety of preferences suggests a coffee culture that is rich, eclectic and deeply embedded in everyday life.
Ordering food has become an embedded practice in the life of the urban consumer, especially for younger people.

See in detail the opinion of Greeks in the infographics below.

Financial situation

Two out of three Greeks describe their financial situation by stating that they do not have enough money to fulfil their wishes or to put money aside, while one in ten Greeks say they have to borrow or leave basic needs unmet. Both options show a significant increase compared to last year’s corresponding measurement.
Greeks’ forecasts for the country’s economic situation after 12 months remain as cautious to gloomy as recorded in last year’s corresponding measurement, with just 10% of Greeks predicting an improvement.

Trust in institutions & social trust

Greeks’ levels of trust in all kinds of institutions are significantly lower than last year’s levels, with the police being the institution that shows the biggest decrease compared to last year’s level.
The armed forces and universities are the institutions that garner the relatively highest levels of trust, while the media and purely political institutions (parliament, government, opposition) are those that garner the lowest levels of trust.
Equally low are the levels of social trust among Greeks, with three out of four saying that we should be cautious and suspicious of most people.

Confidence in the business sectors

The technology business sector is the one that shows the highest levels of trust among the Greek public, even widening the positive balance compared to previous measurements. The only other business sectors that show a positive balance are bread and pastry, supermarkets, electrical and electronics companies and automotive companies.
Television stations, banks and insurance companies are the business sectors with the consistently largest negative balance of confidence in recent years. A significant increase in the negative confidence balance is observed for the polling and marketing and advertising sectors.

Removal of permanent status

Although a large majority of Greeks are in favor of the evaluation of civil servants (82%), linking the issue to the removal of tenure reduces the range of agreement with the position (71%).
The position in favor of the evaluation of civil servants is also a majority among civil servants themselves (84%), but the link between the issue and the abolition of tenure reduces the range of agreement more strongly, without however making the position a minority position (64%).
Mentioning the name of the Prime Minister as the transmitter of a statement in favor of the evaluation of civil servants reduces levels of agreement by 10 percentage points, regardless of whether a link is made with the removal of tenure or not.
The reduction is even more pronounced among civil servants, who in the case where the statement is attributed to the Prime Minister and linked to the removal of tenure, overwhelmingly say they disagree.

Attitudes towards Russia and Israel

Most Greeks avoid taking a negative or positive stance towards the Russians, but the majority of Greeks take a negative stance towards the Israelis and a relatively positive stance towards the Palestinians. Greeks self-positioned on the left express more strongly negative positions on the Israelis and more strongly positive positions on the Palestinians, while the positions of voters positioned on the right are less distinct.
Greeks appear divided on blaming the war in Ukraine, with one-third attributing responsibility to all sides, ¼ to Russia and ¼ to the US and the West.
Israel is held responsible for the war in the Gaza Strip by 35% of Greeks, with about ¼ blaming all sides and only 1/10 blaming the US and the West.
Maintaining a neutral position on the Ukraine war is preferred by three out of four Greeks. Younger people seem more ready to condemn Russia and the proportion of younger people who want to maintain a neutral position is lower.
Maintaining a neutral position on the issue of the war in the Gaza Strip is preferred by slightly more than half of Greeks. Younger people seem more ready to condemn Israel and the percentage of younger people who want to maintain a neutral position is lower.

Food and coffee

One in ten Greeks, and one in five Gen-Z Greeks, order food over the phone or via apps almost every day or more often.
Nine out of ten Greeks drink some type of coffee, with Freddo Espresso and Greek being the most popular.
One in four Greeks, and one in two Gen Z Greeks, usually buy their coffee from a store.

People of Greece – Weekly snapshot 16-19/05/2025

This week, the People of Greece research platform recorded the views of Greeks on the impact of the developments surrounding the investigation of the Tempi accident, their impressions on whether they have received answers to questions about the Tempi accident, their views on the responsibility for the failure to deal with violence in universities, the end of the armed action of the PKK in Turkey, Eurovision and, finally, the television programs on offer this season.

The findings showed that:

The developments surrounding the investigation of the Tempi accident continue to negatively affect the image of the government, as well as the judiciary, with unabated intensity.
The vast majority of Greeks state that they have not received answers to the key questions of the creation of a fireball after the collision, the decision to immediately clean up the accident site, and the circulation of two trains on the same railway line.
The responsibility for failing to deal with violence and lawlessness within universities is symmetrically shared by public opinion both with university administrations for not calling the police and with governments for not allowing police intervention.
The Eurovision Song Contest is identified with artistic diversity, but also with tactics between countries in the voting.
Television continues to capture the interest of Greeks, with Greek series and news being the most popular categories and the channels with the most successful productions in these two categories earning the highest audience ratings.

See in detail the opinion of Greeks in the infographics below.

Impact of developments in the Tempi case on political actors

Three out of four Greeks say that the developments surrounding the investigation of the Tempi accident have a negative impact on their assessment of the government, a percentage that has remained unchanged in repeated measurements over the past three months. The same assessment is shared by one in two voters of the South-Western party.
These developments do not favor the opposition parties, for which high rates of negative effects are also recorded, except Pleusi Eleutherias, for which one in three Greeks declare that they are favored by them.
Almost seven out of ten Greeks state that the question of the cause of the creation of a fireball and the question of the cause of the choice of immediate clean-up of the accident site have not been adequately answered, while almost six out of ten Greeks state the same for the question of the cause of two trains running on the same line. The first two of the above questions are considered unanswered by half of the voters of the New Democracy party.

Safety in the University premises

One in two Greeks “see” co-responsibility of university administrations and the government for not addressing incidents of violence on university campuses, with the percentages of Greeks who attribute sole responsibility to either university administrations or the government being evenly distributed.
One in two ND voters also “see” co-responsibility, but ND voters tend to attribute responsibility more often to the administrations of institutions rather than to governments.

Dissolution of the PKK

One out of three Greeks say that the end of the PKK’s armed struggle against Turkey harms Greece because Turkey will turn its attention to the Aegean, while very few say that this development will benefit Greece because it will strengthen peace in the wider region.

Eurovision

Greeks recognize the diversity of songs and musical traditions as the best element of the Eurovision Song Contest, and the tactics recorded in the voting between countries as the worst element.
The Greeks of Gen Z view the night of the Contest slightly differently, as on the one hand they project much more the commentary process as a positive element, on the other hand they very rarely mention the aesthetics of the costumes as a negative element.

TV habits

Greek series and news shows are the most popular television programming categories for Greeks, with Greek series topping the list of interests for Gen-Z and Millennials and news shows topping the list for Gen-X and Baby Boomers.
This year’s MEGA and ERT programs were recorded as the highest quality programs for Greeks, with younger age groups choosing MEGA’s program as the highest quality and older age groups choosing ERT’s program as the highest quality.