Greek Politics specialist group - editorial on Greek elections

First thoughts on the 18 & 25 May 2014 elections in Greece

Editorial | Domestic Message in a European Bottle

A friend recently noted that the European Parliament election is like Eurovision: “nobody remembers it the next day, but still, everybody talks about it and bets on it beforehand”. This rule may be about to be broken in Greece: this particular EP election not only coincided with two rounds of local (municipal and regional) elections – therefore creating a cumulative political event – but it was also the first national contest since the historic elections of May and June 2012, which marked the breakdown of the post-1974 party system.

The recent elections were important for other reasons, too: for the first time ever, the appointment of the President of the European Commission became a personalised contest as part of the EP elections, raising hopes for slightly more democratically accountable EU institutions (although it remains to be seen whether these expectations will be fulfilled). The continuing impact of fiscal austerity across the continent, the root causes of the rise of radical Euroscepticism, fears over extremism, the apparent lack of vision and leadership and the challenges of immigration and integration are all key issues that affect everyone in the EU – issues that are seeking robust and comprehensive solutions.

However, it would be fair to say that the emphasis within Europe’s national public spheres was on domestic issues and domestic emotions – of fear, anger and frustration, rather than hope and aspiration. In Greece the electorate sent a signal of scepticism and caution rather than one of radical change or endorsement of any particular party. It thus sustained the fragmentation of the political system with no party gaining more than 27% of the vote and with seven parties managing to cross the 3% threshold of representation at the EP.

One phenomenon that should not be overlooked – and which may, in fact, provide us with an indication as to where the political system is heading – is the outlook in three major cities (Athens, Thessaloniki and Piraeus), the mayoral contests of which have always been seen as a barometer for the electoral fortunes of one party or another. It is, thus, interesting that in Athens and Thessaloniki we saw the re-election of two highly successful and popular moderates who, while being endorsed by a broad coalition of centrist political organisations, have refused to be associated with particular political parties; while, in Piraeus the political contest was dominated, and won, by the managers of the local football club (amongst other business interests) who managed to mobilise and command the support of an apolitical but highly motivated group of followers.

Continuing a tradition that started in 2012, the Greek Politics Specialist Group (GPSG) invited short commentaries from its members, colleagues and affiliates as a first ‘rapid’ response to the election results. The 26 articles in this collection provide a diverse range of viewpoints and interpretations, although they seem to concur on the fragmented state of the political system and express concern at the consolidation and further rise of the neo-Nazi far right. This pamphlet is by no means a definitive account of the election. It is merely a forum – an opportunity for colleagues to reflect on these important events, but also a pluralistic representation of the status quo, highlighting points of contention and raising questions about the future of the Greek and indeed the European political system. We hope that this publication will lead to a fruitful dialogue and welcome further contributions through our various outlets, such as the GPSG Working Papers series, our newsletter and, of course, our events.

The pamplet can also be viewed on the GPSG website. 

Dr. Roman Gerodimos is Founder and Convenor of the Greek Politics Specialist Group (GPSG) and a Senior Academic in Global Current Affairs at Bournemouth University