The Political Culture of No-Consensus in Greece: Perspectives, Dimensions and Consequences

The relationship between political culture and political system is multifaceted, as it includes the connection between the past, present and future, reflects the preferences of domestic actors and requires the engagement of citizens in a vibrant setting. Certain Consequently, if political culture is the set of values, perceptions, attitudes and behaviors of political importance that characterize a society, consensus among political paths is a key pillar for the effectiveness and stability of the political system. However, the lack of consensus among the political actors in Greece and especially during the recession period has demonstrated that consensus is subject to strong partisan reasons and deep-rooted attitudes about the role of the political parties and the state itself. The aim of this article is to identify patterns and problems arising from the lack of political consensus in Greece in light of the recent economic crisis. For this purpose, a differentiated analysis of key indicators of political consensus such as the main social cleavages, polarization, and EU membership will be employed. Our research will make use of documentary analysis and descriptive statistics so as to highlight the key factors affecting the lack of consensus in a rather fragmented and highly confrontational political system.