Two thirds of the population consider corruption a big problem in Icelandic politics

A survey conducted by MMR for Sósíalistaflokk Íslands reveals that 30% of the population consider corruption to be a very big problem in Icelandic politics and 32% that corruption is a rather big problem. Only 3% of the population consider corruption to be a very small or no problem in politics and 11% a rather small problem. 22% are mixed.

If we compare these 62% who believe that corruption is a big problem in Icelandic politics with the 14% who consider corruption to be a small problem, it is obvious that there is a prevailing idea among the public that politics are corrupt. So prevalent that democracy is endangered by corruption and public distrust towards politics.

Little difference is found in the attitudes of the sexes, however, women are slightly more certain that corruption is a problem. The same can be said about age. In all age groups, there is a large majority who believe that corruption is a problem, but somewhat smaller the higher the age. There is also little difference between the countryside and the capital, but people from the countryside are somewhat more certain that corruption is a problem in Icelandic politics.

Even top officials say that corruption is a big problem

A somewhat greater difference can be discerned by education. The less education, the more certain people are that corruption is a problem, but this applies to a good majority in all education groups.

And a similar story can be told about professions, the majority in all professions find corruption to be a problem, but that majority is slightly smaller among managers and specialists than among homemakers, workers, and students. It is striking that among Managers and top officials, 30% say that corruption is a very big problem in Icelandic politics and 28% that it is a rather big problem. The people at the top know this and often know it from their own experience.

A similar trend is also seen among income groups. Everywhere, the majority believes that corruption is a problem, but that majority is larger among the lowest-income earners than others.

These three things, that the majority is smaller among the better paid, among the higher-ranking, and those with longer schooling, primarily indicates that the higher people climb the career ladder or salary scale, the more normal society seems to them, primarily because it is rather adapted to their demands and needs. Those who are lower in the pecking order experience themselves in a society governed by distant and alien interests.

But although a certain tendency in this direction can be noted, it is actually more accurate to say that there is a widespread general opinion that corruption is a problem in Iceland.

Sjálfstæðisflokkur people are a distinct group

And then we come to political views. In this survey, as in so many others, Sjálfstæðisflokkur people stand out from others. When 62% of the population say that corruption is a rather big or very big problem in Iceland, this only applies to 22% of Sjálfstæðisflokkur members. And when only 14% of the population say that corruption is very small or rather small in politics, this applies to a full 40% of Sjálfstæðisflokkur people.

If we exclude Sjálfstæðisflokkur people and look at the supporters of all other parties, then 6% of Sjálfstæðisflokkur voters say that there is very high corruption in Icelandic politics compared to 35% of voters of all other parties, and 22% of Sjálfstæðisflokkur people say that there is rather high or very high corruption in Iceland compared to 72% of supporters of other parties.

And from the other side: 40% of Sjálfstæðisflokkur people say that corruption is a very small or rather small problem in Icelandic politics compared to only 8% of supporters of other parties.

Sjálfstæðisflokkur people are like a distinct group when it comes to attitudes towards most societal issues, standing out clearly from the majority of the population. And what is so strange is that most often it is the stance of Sjálfstæðisflokkur people that dictates the course in Iceland.

Here are the parties' stances

If we categorize the parties by whether people consider corruption to be a very big problem in Icelandic politics, then the order is this:

Sósíalistaflokkur: 74%
Flokkur fólksins: 52%
Píratar: 50%
Miðflokkur: 48%
Samfylking: 29%
Viðreisn: 21%
Framsókn: 18%
VG: 16%
Sjálfstæðisflokkur: 6%

If we add together those who say that corruption is a rather big and very big problem, then the list is this:

Píratar: 94%
Sósíalistaflokkur: 92%
Flokkur fólksins: 79%
Samfylking: 76%
Miðflokkur: 71%
Viðreisn: 62%
VG: 59%
Framsókn: 53%
Sjálfstæðisflokkur: 22%

And if we look at the other end, then this is the proportion of party supporters who believe that corruption is a very small or rather small problem:

Sjálfstæðisflokkur: 40%
Framsókn: 21%
VG: 12%
Samfylking: 8%
Viðreisn: 8%
Miðflokkur: 6%
Flokkur fólksins: 4%
Píratar: 1%
Sósíalistaflokkur: 0%

Sósíalistaflokkur has put forward an offer to voters regarding anti-corruption measures and how to tackle the roots of the problem. See here:Let's tackle the roots of corruption