on rm 3d n w yas tm, hl te IFC/ the while time, years’ two in 73rd from down 119th, ranking picture, similar a paints dom dation/WallJournal’s Street Foun- Heritage The 2007. in 47th from down 2012, in competitors worldwide its amongst 90th Greece Forum’s nomic WorldEco- the investment: to unattractive is country The years. five just in drop 18% whopping a – 2012 expected to fall from €16,113 in 2007 to €13,216 in is prices constant in capita per GDP that reports IMF The Forecast). 2012 Spring (EC, recession of year consecutive fifth the marking 2012, in 4.7% another dip to forecast is and 2011 in Greek 6.9% declined GDP Eurostat, to According deterioration. verse hard-to-re- of cycle a entered already had Greece in circumstances socioeconomic the 2010, early by Even the most cursory look at the data suggests that, Crisis Data tions andpossibledirectionsgoingforward. offer anassessmentofboththeoutcomeelec- finally, and, politics, Greek for repercussions specific dimensions of the crisis, then move on to examine the the of description impressionistic somewhat a with begin we 2012, May of elections the after shortly ten the EU and the euro zone. In this concise article, writ- for consequences perilous, even important, with ma dra- national multi-actor long-term, a is it Crisis,”but “Greek the as simply it to refer to come all have We University ofMacedonia, Thessaloniki Aslanidis European UniversityInstitute, Florence Department ofPolitical andSocialSciences T Destination Unknown Evolving GreekPolitics amidsttheCrisis: Mediterranean Politics | akis S.Pappas ranks ranks Index Competitiveness Global Index of Economicof Index Free- government back in September 2009, snap elections elections snap 2009, September in back government (ND) Democracy New the of resignation the lowing Fol- far. so drama Greek the of milestones the review at what is looking being dismantled as a result of before the crisis, let us However, systems. party and cal politi- well-established hitherto Greece’s in transition in be to seems everything it, below for, iceberg, the of tip the only is far so presented picture the so, Even Political Repercussions rule oflawandconstitutionalism. unmistakable sign of a state that is failing to apply the an is globe, the across a travelled that of burning images news the in captured graphically mie, ano- social widespread Finally, world. developed the of member a itself fancies that country a for disgrace a considered already was which 2007, in 56th from down is This ones. African sub-Saharan many below on a par with many Latin American countries and even 2011, in 80th Greece ranking message, appalling an International’s mocracies.” de- findings, these Reinforcing Transparency “flawed of category the to country the egating its on 32nd) to 22nd (from places 10 of drop a reports levels. ministrative ad- and institutional the on underperformance state’s If numbers are half the truth, the other half is the Greek den, shoulderedmainlybytheyouth. a population of just 11 million – an overwhelming bur- in all total, in unemployed million a than more and years five in jobs 700,000 of this loss a to 2007: amounts in back 8.3% disheartening already an is projected to rise to well over 21% in 2012, up from social front are even gloomier: the unemployment rate the on Numbers 2012. in 183) of (out 100th Greece Bank’s World Index of Democracy between 2008 and 2011, - rel conveys conveys Index Perception Corruption ranks ranks Index Business Doing of Ease ’s Intelligence Unit Unit Intelligence Economist’s The

153 Med.2012 Panorama 154 Med.2012 Panorama (Athens, April 2011), more than than more 2011), April (Athens, Barometer Issue lic for the crisis. As indicated for instance in a 2011 responsible held now is and it political under served that class entire the of disrepute and discrediting the second, is, politics two-party of decline the to Related mer two-partyformatsuddenly seemeddefunct. for - the technocrat, a by led government coalition a in cohabitate to ND PASOKand forcing eventually tem, sys- party old the up shook Yet,crisis sources. the as re- its and state the controlling of spoils the share to therefore, and, regularity impressive with office in nate tre-right ND and centre-left PASOK were able to alter- a simple two-party format. For three decades, the cen- system, political country’s which, at least since the 1981, had been characterised by of stability very the concerns change obvious most perhaps and first The ments. Herearethemostimportantchanges. develop- historical for way the paving considerably, shifted politics Greek of plates tectonic the 2012, of In the period between the elections of 2009 and those pre-election period. that signified the end of 2012 its mission and the start of March the by bondholders) for value face in loss 53.5% a (entailing billion €100 than more of write-off debt private a for procedure the conclude cessfully suc- to managed and agreements the implementing with on pressed government new The Papademos. Lucas Bank, Central former European the the of vice-president under government coalition a of favour in November 10 on resign to had and disintegrating was agreed on 21 July. However, the government was package rescue billion €130 second a for need the recession, deep into headlong plunged economy the As country. the throughout riots and protests strikes, indignation, spurring measures, austerity harsh of tion condi- the on agreed was billion €110 of loan bailout a May, 1 On status. junk to downgraded were bonds Greek 2010, April 27 on and, intervention EU/IMF for asked officially Papandreou Minister Prime delusion, self- of exercises in indulging were politicians Greek and feet their dragging were officials foreign While at nowstands landing. hard a of fears worldwide spawning 15.6%), figure Eurostat to official was revised (the 12.7% 2009 for deficit 5% estimated an 2010, February In manipulated. routinely were figures deficit public and dynamics, debt Greek with wrong terribly something was there streets: the into and bag the of out was cat the denial, in months crucial few a ship on a promise of continued public spending. After socialist PASOK under ’s leader- were called for October, which were easily won by the Pub- growth couldpotentially beconstructed. to return the for framework a whom around viduals indi- creative and innovative most its of loss the nify from further shrinking the Greek market they also sig - apart since ways, two least at in considerable are ital quences of this haemorrhage of precious human cap- stable financial and working environment. The conse- where they can benefit from higher wages and a more West, the in countries richer to moving are youth ed the talent- many grim, appear as outlook, economic general well as prospects, employment As igrants. thus turningGreeceonceagainintoacountryofem- abroad, future better a seeking now Greeks of wave the is all, of consequential most perhaps and Finally, of 52%,Eurobarometer75). now held by a 47% minority (compared to an average 59%, of average EU an to compared (75% EU the in membership its from benefited country the that agree to used citizens Similarly, whileastrongmajorityofGreek 67 and76). (Eurobarometers 34% of average EU an to opposed as did Greeks of 29% only 2011 late by 57%, of age claimed to trust the EU compared to a European aver- Greeks of 63% as many as mid-2007 in while Thus, Greece. in strong particularly now are feelings such past, not-too-distant the to contrast in Eurobarometer show, surveys recent As misgivings. and derment in Europe, which is currently giving way to both bewil- Greeks’the been has crisis the of victim fourth A trust 3% the top threshold toenterParliament. to failed which party, splinter own her Costas Mitsotakis, was forced to leave ND and create Minister Prime former of daughter and heavyweight political a Bakoyannis, Dora Meanwhile, 2012. March in leader party as resigning and 2011 November in with family, Papandreou George Papandreou stepping down as Prime Minister the was victim latest The republic. Greek post-authoritarian the of founder lis, , nephew of Minister the late Constantine Karaman- Prime was trend this of victim liest interludes, administered the few land since WWII. with The ear- had, that families political traditional the of scions the of obliteration virtual the been has Greece in development important third a lines, similar Along aging theirofficesordisruptingpublicmeetings. rav- and storming mobs to Parliament to way their on politi- cians, ranging from physical attacks towards against lawmakers animosity physical ugly occasionally into morphed soon however, views, negative These right. or centre, left, whether parties, major all of ers 60% of Greek society held negative views of the lead- 67), this opinion is is opinion this 67), Eurobarometer the extreme fragmentation it has wrought in the Greek The second characteristic of the electoral outcome is between Greeceanditsforeign creditors. tion of the terms of the foreign loan agreement signed rejec - popular a constitutes election the of outcome economic the therefore, of sense, real very years a In mismanagement. for parties mainstream ished zens voted overwhelmingly against austerity and pun- Citi- parties. participating the of policies or ologies was society’s collective anger rather outcome than the differing ide- the in factor decisive most the First, next. comes what to as clues valuable offer and ment predica- Greek the understand to help both that tics characteris- of number a has outcome electoral The which harvestedarichprotestvote. on both the left and the right of the political spectrum, lapsed. The big winners were the anti-austerity forces col- but all PASOK and vote, the of 18.9% dismal a to form a majority in government. ND came in first with loan Greece’s Troika,the with agreement votes enough get to failed of continuation the for exchange in and ND dominant PASOK, which both backed harsh traditionally austerity measures The system. party and political country’s the of realignment complete a for prepared was one no politics, domestic in set May 2012.Althoughmanyhadpredicteda major up- sis clearly impacted the outcome of the elections of 6 The changes underway since the beginning of the cri- The May2012Elections CHART 13 100% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 0% 1981 T wo-Party System1981-2012(%ofvotes) 1985 1990 1993 PASOK 1996 ND The latter was able to win the hearts and minds of of minds and hearts the win to able was latter The group. Nazi Greek a Dawn, Golden worryingly, most and, theories, conspiracy for knack a with deputy ND tionalist party founded by , a former na- nativist a Greeks, Independent the are right the Workers’ Left, Red, and even Rosa Internationalist [Luxembourg]. On the Greece, of Organisation munist Com- the as names such bearing components eral protest a , movement transformedintoapartyconsistingofsev- contest, electoral the of winner biggest the finds one Greece, of Party Stalinist) Communist (i.e. orthodox the besides left, far the On toral competitionspace. elec- the of right far or left far the are either near located these parties of most centre, the flee to dency ten- strong a showed electorate the because ever, tract all the floating voters of the broken system. How- at- to managed parties smaller of multitude a bang, a with out went system two-party the As system. party (ModerateLeft) (FarRight) KKE (CommunistParty) (Populist Right) PASOK (SocialDemocrats) SYRIZA (RadicalLeft) (CentreRight) TABLE 6 2000 Total 2004 Greek Elections,6May2012 2007 2009 10.60 13.18 16.78 18.85 6.11 6.97 8.48 % 2012 Seats 108 19 21 26 33 41 52

155 Med.2012 Panorama 156 Med.2012 Panorama consider their situation unfair; they have been done done been have they unfair; situation their consider someone or something else has wheneverything to be the culprit. They that assume they decades, for olddays, fine work to seemed good the of confines the within crisis the of origins the locate to unwilling what is wrong contrasts with the hard facts. Unable of or view their which in dissonance cognitive of state sented by the elites as their only choice. They are in a of path pre- measures austerity and winding bailouts memorandums, and long the than out way easier an be must there that believe and unemployment and recession with up fed are They reality. harsh the with deteriorate and are having a hard time coming to grips Greeks are helplessly watching their standard of living serving thepsychologyofaveragecitizen-voter. ob- by assessed be can remainder the equation; the the of part rational the for much So reforms. destabilising freeze and that quo status force the protect political to promised any behind stand to termined de- now were groups These system. old the of the fruits reap to used that guilds other and tycoons dia trade unions, professional associations, state-fed me- of stances and decisions the in visible dynamics its This explains a fair share of the resulting dealignment, es weredepleted. and clientelistic networks realised that their resourc- for bailout funds. State coffers were suddenly empty return in government Greek the by conceded ments commit- the of part as rents their losing of danger the When requirements. the felt rent-seekers halt, a to came spree spending financial strict its and Understanding of Memorandum the of troduction support. This situation changed abruptly with the in- out favours upon assuming power in order to solidify dole to eager were and apparatus state the on hold firm a had parties two The lines. rent-seeking and clientelistic along less or more vote to used Greeks aside, voters swing system, two-party the of down break spectacular the Until forever? changed its flash in the pan? In other words, have electoral hab- another be to prove it will or stay to come situation new the Has centre. political the of membership the devouring by filled were extremes the of ranks The Electoral Aftermath and campaigningagainstimmigration. Athens, of neighbourhoods many in rates crime ing grow- and anomie against protection offering needy, many Greeks by handing out food and clothing to the - er ornotitsucceedswillsoonbecomeclear. Wheth- environment. European insecure increasingly an in act must that government problems enormous coalition with weak faced a with balance, the in fad. At the time of this writing, Greece seems to hang that its entry into Parliament in May was not a political and stay to here is Dawn Golden that clear also now is It face. moderate more a present or tactics radical former its to stick to whether of dilemma the faces now and party opposition major former a as emerged Syriza its leftist of the time, same the some At first. finish and regain strength to managed ND tion, popula- the throughout anger collective with tussled fear collective as and collapse country’s the of face the in June, in elections recent more the In elections. The foregoing was writtenshortlyafter the May2012 Postscript there, itisalldownhill. From liberalism. political undermining and extremes the of ranks the filling constituents, of bereft centre political the leaves and siege under being of sense a funnels that board the across drive anti-systemic an clear: is outcome The enemies. same the tifying iden- up end sides Both themes. religious or national with rhetoric their embroider right the on populists ty; inequali- wealth and welfarism to allusions insert lists litical entrepreneur putting it forward. Left-wing popu- po- the of origins ideological the on depending hues different on takes framework This interests. personal ble-crossed the people in order to satisfy their narrow framework whereby elites, both foreign and domestic, have dou- interpretive an into them moulding and grievances popular taking narrative, explanatory an Populists came to the rescue and met this demand for not thehard-working“people.” guilty,really are who those punishing by nation the to pledges to undo the wrongdoings and restore justice who person the support only will they so and wrong, KKE (CommunistParty) Democratic Left(Moderate Left) Golden Dawn(FarRight) Independent Greeks(Populist Right) PASOK (SocialDemocrats) SYRIZA (RadicalLeft) New Democracy(CentreRight) TABLE 7 Greek Elections,17June2012 12.28 26.89 29.66 4.50 6.26 6.92 7.51 % Seats 129 12 17 18 20 33 71