Political life in many countries is in profound transition, marked by rising abstention, strengthening anti‑establishment parties, the ascent of the far right and widespread distrust of institutions, says Giannis Constantinides, Associate Professor at the University of Macedonia. He warns that anti‑establishment rhetoric indicts the system without reforming it, while abstention—now reaching up to 50% of registered voters in some contexts—skews outcomes toward older, higher‑earning voters and indirectly benefits conservative parties.

Constantinides links the shifts to economic crises, widening inequality, globalisation and the spread of information via social media that has exposed corruption and eroded institutional trust. He says the traditional left‑right divide has weakened as voters choose increasingly along an establishment versus anti‑establishment axis and by leaders’ personalities. While social media amplify emotional voting, direct, face‑to‑face campaigning remains important for building durable voter connections.