MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

A majority of Argentine public is dissatisfied with the state of their democracy, Pew Research

Roughly eight in ten Argentines (83%) say the country’s economic situation is bad. This share is lower than in 2002, when the index was 98%

Argentines are headed to the polls for their general election on Sunday Oct. 27. They will cast their votes against a backdrop of wide discontent with the way things are going in the country and little faith in their elected officials and public institutions, according to a Pew Research Center survey.

The election comes as the nation’s economy tries to recover from an August financial crisis. The peso lost over 30% of its value and the main stock market dropped 38% immediately following incumbent President Mauricio Macri’s second-place finish during the 11 August primaries.

The August financial shock is the latest of a long series of crises that have plagued Argentina’s economy. According to a 2018 report by the World Bank, the nation has experienced 14 financial crises since 1950, not including this latest recession.

About eight-in-ten (82%) express dissatisfaction with the way things are going in Argentina today.

Younger Argentines (ages 18 to 29) are significantly more likely than those 50 and older (87% vs. 73%) to say they’re dissatisfied with conditions in the country. Similarly, women are more likely than men to hold this view (86% vs. 78%).

Roughly eight in ten Argentines (83%) say the country’s economic situation is bad. This share is lower than in 2002, when 98% said the economic situation was bad following an economic crisis. Currently, only 15% say the economic situation is good. (The Pew survey was conducted before the market shock that occurred in August.)

Assessments of the current economic situation vary by political party. A near universal share of adults (94%) with an unfavorable view of Cambiemos, the current ruling party, say the economic situation is bad, while a smaller majority of those who view the party favorably (57%) say the same. Similarly, 94% of those with a favorable view of Kirchnerismo, the party that defeated Macri in the August primary, say the economic situation is bad, while 76% of those with an unfavorable view share the same view.

When it comes to the financial future of children in Argentina, the public is split, 42% believe their children will be better off than their parents, while 47% say they’ll be worse off.

Discontent among Argentines extends across a wide range of conditions in the country. Overall, 72% of Argentines say they are pessimistic with how the political system works when thinking about the future.

Those with a favorable view of the ruling party are less likely to feel pessimistic about the way their political system works than those with an unfavorable view (58% vs. 78%), though majorities of both are still pessimistic.

Roughly half of the Argentine public reports feeling pessimistic about the possibility of reducing the gap between the rich and poor (52%), the nation’s education system (52%) and the availability of well-paying jobs (51%).

On a positive note, a majority of Argentines express optimism about their country’s culture when looking ahead (61%).

Argentines express little trust in elected officials and public institutions. 

One-in-five (20%) agree that the state is run for the benefit of all people and that most elected officials care what people like themselves think (21%). Adults ages 18 to 29 are less likely than those 50 and older to agree that the government is run for the benefit of all people (16% vs. 26%).

Those with a favorable view of Cambiemos are also more likely to agree that the state works for everyone (39%) than those with unfavorable views (13%).

Despite the dissatisfaction with aspects of the political system, Argentines are optimistic about democratic participation – 55% say that voting gives people like themselves some say in how the government runs things.

A majority of Argentine public is dissatisfied with the state of their democracy. About six-in-ten (61%) express dissatisfied views, which fits the trend exhibited in recent years.

Roughly six-in-ten adults with a secondary education or below (63%) express dissatisfaction, while about half (48%) of those who have attained more education say the same. Similarly, 70% of those who make less than the median income are dissatisfied with democracy’s functioning, while roughly six-in-ten (57%) of those with an income above the median share the same view.

There are differences by political views. The only group with a majority that expresses satisfaction with the way democracy functions are those who have a favorable view of the ruling party.

Majorities of those with favorable views of Kirchnerismo and Peronismo express dissatisfaction with democracy’s functioning (68% and 60%, respectively).