Greek politics have utilized a Parliamentary Democracy since 1974, operating under a multi-party system that stands in stark contrast to the two-party political landscape Americans are accustomed to.
Today, Nea Demokratia (or New Democracy) leads Greece as the ruling party, but there are many other organizations nipping at their heels and rounding out the expansive political arena. Here is a straightforward breakdown of the 10 political parties in the Greek Parliament, listed from most left-wing to centrist to right-wing.
Since the 2023 election, the support for Nea Demokratia has fallen from around 41% of voters to around 29% as of the most recent polls. This signals a public departure from the recent dominance of SYRIZA and Nea Demokratia in the political space. Smaller parties like KKE and Greek Solution have increased their support among disaffected voters both left and right.
Due to the multi-party system, many diaspora Greeks remain unfamiliar with the trends regarding Hellenic politics, and as such, this article aims to act as an introduction to the current largest parties and their platforms.
1. KKE
Also known as the primary communist party and the oldest political organization still in existence in Greece today, KKE (est. 1918) was created one year after the Soviet Revolution and takes on Marxist-Leninist and Stalinist principles. The party, despite its far-left economic agenda, is socially conservative on certain issues such as being against same-sex unions and opposing the legalization of marijuana in Greece. Due to these positions, KKE sometimes experiences disagreements with its youth wing and other left-wing parties. They also profess an anti-NATO and anti-Russia outlook under the leadership of Dimitris Koutsoumpas.
KKE currently has 21 seats in the Greek Parliament, good for seven percent. However, they have grown considerably in recent months, rising to 10.5% in political polling.
2. Course Of Freedom
Led by Zoe Konstantopoulou and created in 2016 amidst the splintering of historic left-wing power SYRIZA, Course of Freedom follows KKE as a liberal populist and progressive party. The organization is the smallest in the Greek Parliament with just eight seats.
Some key items to note about Course of Freedom is their positioning as Eurocentric and anti-establishment, while simultaneously championing issues such as gay rights and opposition to Zionism.
3. SYRIZA
Described by the Associated Press as a “political neophyte,” Stefanos Kassilakis was elected as SYRIZA leader in 2023.
Syriza occupies a key space in Greek politics as a primary coalition of socialists, communists, and social activists, thereby contributing to the fall of PASOK – another left-wing staple of Greek politics for several decades In a matter of a few short years, Syriza went from being a fringe party in 2009 to winning a majority election in 2015. However, upon entering office, the party was widely criticized in the subsequent months and years for failing to act on key issues such as their promise to abolish austerity measures, mismanagement of the migrant crisis and the much-maligned Presba agreement which dealt with the naming rights for Skopje (North Macedonia), which many Greeks believed was a betrayal of Hellenic history and our claim to Ancient Macedonia.
4. New Left
Created in early 2024, New Left lives up to its name on recency alone. They occupy a unique place in Greek politics as the only political party not to be elected – instead, they comprise eleven dissatisfied members formerly hailing from SYRIZA. Nonetheless, the organization is socialist in nature and adopts a socially liberal ideology, much like the American Democratic Party. The organization exists largely as a splinter and protest movement due to left-wing infighting.
5. PASOK
Moving further to the center-left brings us PASOK, a panhellenic socialist movement led by Nikos Androulakis. Prior to 2015, PASOK enjoyed prominence as the main left-leaning party in Greece. They were once considered a radical left party, but have migrated to the center in recent decades in comparison to its four aforementioned liberal competitors.
In the early 2010s, PASOK was uprooted as the leading party of Greece, due in large part to its involvement in the Euro crisis. In recent years the party has created a coalition of center-left parties known as “Movement for Change.” It is currently being forecasted that PASOK will retake its former place as the primary leftist party in Greece in upcoming election cycles due to the political decline of SYRIZA.
6. Nea Demokratia
Nea Demokratia burst onto the Greek political scene in 2023 with a resounding victory, sending liberal adversaries into disarray.
The current governing party in Greece is Nea Demokratia, which sent its leftist rivals PASOK and SYRIZA into respective tailspins following the May 2023 Parliamentary election, in which it commanded over 40% of the overall vote. As such, Nea Demokratia remains the largest political organization in Greece.
However, in recent years, the party has diverted from its traditional center-right agenda to support the legalization of gay marriage in Greece and increase taxes on certain sectors of the economy. Nea Demokratia is currently led by Kyriakos Mitsotakis and has experienced its share of public scandals over the last several years, including a wire-tapping scandal with strong comparisons made to Watergate, plus the failure to prevent a fatal train crash killing over 50 people in March 2023.
On a jurisdictional level, Nea Demokratia helped enforce strict COVID-19 restrictions during the global pandemic, often fining locals for walking outside while simultaneously making it possible for tourism to continue in limited form. Nea Demokratia is a big tent center-right party that has become radically more centrist in the past 4 years. The legalization of same-sex marriage precipitated a nosedive in popularity, as today ND only polls around 29%, despite its 2023 election results putting them around 40%.
7. NIKI
Also known as Victory, NIKI is known in Greece as a far-right, Orthodoxy-first political group. It was created in 2019 under the leadership of Dimitris Natsios to popularize a socially conservative agenda in strict opposition to same-sex marriage and abortion while championing traditionalism and governmental partnerships with the Orthodox Church.
The party went on record to oppose mandatory vaccinations – another staple of Nea Demokratia’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic – and concurrently possesses a pro-Russia mentality. Niki supports neutrality in the Gaza War, believing Greece should focus on supporting Orthodox Christians caught in the decades-long conflict. Currently owning 10 seats out of 300 in the Greek Parliament, Niki also advocates for a stronger military defense against Turkey.
8. Greek Solution
Moving further and further right leads straight to Greek Solution, a growing conservative political movement led by Kyriakos Velopoulos with 11 seats in Parliament. Easily the largest far right-wing party in Greece, Greek Solution holds an anti-illegal immigration stance and supports keeping a strong barrier for migrants and asylum seekers angling for mass entry.
Additionally, the party supports strength in opposition to Turkey, in keeping with its socially conservative and culturally traditionalist platform. On the world stage, Greek Solution supports strategic relations with Russia and opposes Greek aid to Ukrainian war efforts. Greek Solution has effectively doubled its popularity since the 2023 election, reaching nearly 10% in recent polls.
9. Voice of Reason
Voice of Reason leader Afroditi Latinopoulou holds a seat in the EU Parliament on behalf of Greece.
A splinter group from New Democracy, Voice of Reason is a right wing party started by Afroditi Latinopoulou. They emphasize economic growth through tourism, illegal immigration restriction, and anti same-sex marriage. They do not have any seats in Parliament, however they performed well in European Parliament Elections getting the 3% required for a seat in Brussels. They have grown considerably in the past few months, rising to nearly 5% in recent polls.
10. Spartiates
The last and most conservative party is Spartiates, a far-right political group under the leadership of Vasilis Stigkas. The party is viewed by many as the continuation of Golden Dawn, with less emphasis on illegal and violent public demonstrations. Spartiates was elected to the Greek Parliament largely due to being endorsed by Ilias Kasidiaris, former Golden Dawn spokesman.
Civil unrest is ingrained in Spartiates’ political framework, as in-fighting between party leaders brings continued instability, especially in the wake of key members assaulting other members of Parliament and a large contingent of the party professing loyalty to Kasidiaris rather than the current leader, Stigkas.
11. Golden Dawn
Spartiates can not be described without providing additional background on the movement that preceded it, Golden Dawn. Golden Dawn began as a collection of far-right football hooligans and hardcore nationalists. The party burst onto the scene amid the financial crisis, gaining seats in Parliament and eventually becoming the third-largest party in Greece. Golden Dawn campaigned on a platform of anti-austerity, immigration restriction, and economic growth based on local industrialization and national exports. Their association with street violence made them a taboo movement in Greece and internationally. The party was dismantled and its leaders jailed in 2020 in response to the killing of an anti-fascist rapper by a party member in 2013.
The next Parliamentary election is expected to be held in June 2027. Whether or not a governing party is declared or counterbalancing opposition groups maintain a pluralistic system, voter apathy will almost certainly emerge a victor, as it has in recent years. Case in point, approximately 40% of the electorate fails to cast a ballot during each election.
KTE strongly recommends all Greeks living in the Diaspora to plan their trips back to Greece to coincide with the June 2027 election, with the hopes of securing a better future for the nation of their ancestors and improving upon the current 0.36% voting rate among Greeks living the Diaspora.