Arantzazulab, in collaboration with the three basque universities, presents the initial results of the research project on democracy

At a press conference this morning, Naiara Goia, General Director of Arantzazulab; Agustín Erkizia, Vice Rector of the San Sebastian campus of the University of the Basque Country; Xabier Riezu, Vice Rector of the San Sebastian campus of the University of Deusto; and Nagore Ipiña, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Education Sciences of Mondragon University presented the initial results of the Research Project ‘Conceptions of democracy in the Basque Autonomous Community’. By means of a questionnaire survey of citizens, this work aims to determine the different perceptions, beliefs and opinions that exist regarding democracy in our society.

Work carried out in the Collaborative Research Space

This research was carried out within the framework of the Collaborative Research Space promoted by Arantzazulab. This space for collaborative research among the University of the Basque Country, the University of Deusto and Mondragon University opened in 2021, and its objective was for interdisciplinary researchers from the three universities to work together to generate new knowledge, to reflect and carry out research to respond to the challenges of the future, and to develop new knowledge.

In the early days of the Collaborative Research Space, and after various work sessions with 50 researchers from the 3 universities, two priority research areas were established because they are fundamental and are directly related to the activity of Arantzazulab: the creation of a framework and basic research on Collaborative Governance, and the development of basic research on Democracy. Today’s event, which is related to the second of these areas specifically, served to present the initial results of the research project on Democracy.

It is with good reason that present concern for democracy is huge: the crisis of democracy, political discontent, and the malaise and detachment of citizens are topics in vogue in the West. Much research is being carried out around the world, and here as well, to respond to the existing concern for democracy. In addition, and in an attempt to answer a question that until now has not been examined in detail here, we open the following line of research: How is democracy understood? What conceptions are there about democracy? For this purpose, we have combined three tasks and methods in this project: theoretical work to delve into the current central debates, a search using a qualitative technique of the conceptions of the different agents in the democratic system and, through a questionnaire, a study on the conception of democracy among citizens. Thus, we aim to learn about the different perceptions and opinions about democracy that exist in our society and relate them to the main debates worldwide, while providing evidence and data for the citizens’ conception of democracy. This is a research project still in progress, and today we present the initial results of the citizens’ questionnaire.

Characteristics of the questionnaire

The questionnaire was carried out by telephone (using the CATi system). A representative sample of the population of the Basque Autonomous Community (BAC) over 18 years of age was selected to participate, taking into account factors such as age, gender, employment status, and the size of the municipality, among other things. A total of 2,173 people were interviewed, 1,022 in Biscay, 661 in Gipuzkoa and 490 in Alava.

The questionnaire was designed specifically taking into account three main variables: response to the key questions of the research, the consideration of other research on the political and democratic culture in Basque society, and the introduction of standard questions at the international level. Thus, to a certain extent, the results have made it possible to carry out comparative research and to compare our territory with other western countries and regions. At the same time, through questions formulated for the first time, channels have been opened to generate new knowledge. Thus, we have had the opportunity to learn what the citizens think and what assessments they make of democracy.

Initial results of the research

The results, presented today without interpretation, are available in the attached report. In the coming months, the researchers will interpret and cross-reference the data, and analyze and interpret them in a meaningful way. In the presentation, Arantzazulab General Director Naiara Goia highlighted the main results of the report:

1. Preferred political regime: When asked about their preferred political regime, a large majority (88.4%) stated that Democracy is better than any other form of government, a fact to underline.
2. Degree of satisfaction with how democracy functions: When asked about their degree of satisfaction with how democracy functions, more than a third of respondents indicated little or no satisfaction. In contrast, 56.9% said they feel quite satisfied.
3. Perception of the political influence of citizens: When respondents were asked about their perception of the influence of citizens in politics, we saw a very low subjective political effectiveness: 64.1% believe that the political system allows citizens individually to have little or no influence in politics. That is, 2 of 3 citizens believe that the average citizen has no chance of influencing the political system.
4. Perception of the priority given to citizens by politicians: When asked how much they would say that politicians care about what citizens think, 66.7% of respondents said that they care very little or not at all.
5. Feelings evoked by the word democracy: Regarding the feelings evoked by the word democracy, more than a third of the feelings evoked by the word democracy were indifference, mistrust and irritation. Nevertheless, it is important to recognize that for 51.8% it also evoked commitment.
6. Characteristics of democracy: A large majority link democracy with the guarantee of rights and freedoms, the guarantee of the economic well-being of citizens, the existence of mechanisms of effective control of the Government, and equal justice for all. On the other hand, the statements that there exists the possibility of alternation in the government among the different parties that run for election, or that there are political parties that exist as instruments to represent the people met with a low evaluation. That is, statements that are understood as “political” in the political system are the ones that most distort democracy, according to citizens.
7. Models of participation: When asked about the most democratic model of participation, the one closest to the democratic ideal, 58.6% said that the most democratic model of participation is choosing by vote the representatives that act in our name to solve problems. However, 34.4% prefer other forms of organization.
8. Preferred characteristics of government: Turning now to the preferred characteristics of governments in the democratic system, it is noteworthy that citizens prefer values and principles over effectiveness: 75% prefer lower government effectiveness but governments with values and principles.
9. Preferred characteristics of leaders: The type of leader who wishes to improve society based on their values and ideas is preferred by 5.5 of 10 citizens; but for 4 of 10 citizens, the leaders’ experience and training is more important.
10. Level of agreement with various statements about politics: Fully 82% of citizens demand that governments govern according to scientific criteria and expert opinions. On the other hand, half of the population do not believe that the increase in the number of political parties has improved democracy in the BAC, though 43% believe that it has. Regarding fake news, 7 of 10 citizens believe that it would be good to create an agency to deal with this type of news.
11. Defense of democracy: In the face of possible threats, 75% of the population say that they would be willing to defend democracy if it were threatened, and only 11% are not willing to do so.

The results presented today are included in the attached report. Once the fieldwork has been completed and the results announced publicly, further study will still remain to be done, including deeper reflection: cross-referencing results, full use of the data, interpretation, etc. In the coming months, the researchers will carry out these tasks at Arantzazulab’s Collaborative Research Space. The data, which belong to Arantzazulab, will be made public soon.