Greece: Impact of the Changing Political Scene

Much talk has been made recently about the impact of the Greek elections and the coalition that would be formed. Predominately talk has been about Greece’s economic status and its position in the Eurozone and although this is a key aspect of the new coalition; one that will define whether the government is a success or failure, the increased presence of more minor parties and the replacement of Pasok by Syriza as the second largest party will have knock-on effects for all aspects of Greek society and politics. The political legacy of this election could have implications even after the financial crisis is over.

Firstly it is important to recognise the important new role of Golden Dawn, the far-right extremist party, who have managed to secure a 7% share of the vote and allowed them entry to the Hellenic Parliament. Their views are often considered neo-Nazi, extremist and are politically divisive and yet they now have a legitimate platform for expressing their political views. Could this platform establish an extreme right-wing political element in the EU that is rarely seen or heard and could it have a dramatic impact on Greek society, radicalizing the most disgruntled of citizens? In a time of austerity individuals become protective and focus on the issues of the nation-state. Under these conditions issues of migration and non-Greek identity become no-go topics for political discussion, where many will take a fundamental stance on the issues and debate is not encouraged. In these circumstances some of Golden Dawn’s ideologies may thrive.

However the extreme views of the right-wing are balanced by the presence of the Greek Communist Party (KKE). The communists have a long political history in Greece and the country has often aligned itself with the left-wing of politics. However the recent elections have raised the profile and influence of the Communist Party as an important voice for the left-wing. This party has been most notable in the 2012 elections as the only party to advocate abandoning the euro in favour of a Greek currency and this nationalist perspective has the ability to reach a lot of Greeks to whom the Communist Party is a major historical political power.

However fundamentally the most important impact is the rise of Syriza to the position as the second power in Greece. The rise of this party, whose political stance is further to the left than the traditional left-wing power, Pasok, shows a clear swing to an increasing left-wing social perspective. Within a increasing left-wing political enviornment many in Greece believe that the party will deliver a system that seeks to protect the interests of the Greeks as a society.

However the true impact of Syriza’s rise to the second power in Greek politics is still not known. The cabinet was only announced yesterday and Syriza, which only re-registered as a single political party, instead of a coalition, in 2012, has not yet had the opportunity to establish itself as a vocal opposition. Only time will tell if it can challenge the ruling coalition, not just on the issue of finance, but on all aspects of society.

By Peter Banham