(Monkey Cage) (Co-authored with A. Georgakellos) The much-awaited Greek parliamentary elections took place on Jan. 25, and the first moves of the new government are making headlines all over the world. Greece is now ruled by 40-year-old Alexis Tsipras— head of theCoalition of the Radical Left (“SYRIZA”) and the youngest prime minister in Greece since 1865. It is the first time in Greek history that a left wing party has formed the core of a Greek government. Tsipras is the first PM in Greece who has declined to take a religious oath, does not wear a tie, and lives in an apartment in a middle class neighborhood in Kipseli—a destination for many recent immigrants. But this is where trivia ends and politics begin.
Since the first bailout agreement was signed in 2010, three parliamentary elections have taken place (May 2012, June 2012, January 2015); five prime ministers have been in office; and six political parties have participated in the various governments. Those political parties ranged from the conservative Popular Orthodox Rally (“LAOS”) and Independent Hellenes (“ANEL”) to center-right New Democracy (“ND”) and center-leftPanHellenic Socialist Movement (“PASOK”), to the Democratic Left(“DIMAR”) and now, SYRIZA. The only parties in the parliament that have not governed are To Potami (The River)— founded just a year ago, the Communist Party of Greece (“ΚΚΕ”), and the extreme-right Golden Dawn, whose leader is literally behind bars. […]
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