Who are the Independent Greeks?

[muriel_volestrangler]

Rightwing party differs on many issues with radical leftist Syriza, but they are united by a mutual hatred for bailout programme

Syriza just missed out on the 151 MPs it needed to govern alone after Greece’s election, winning 149 seats with a 36.3% share of the vote. The party has formed a coalition government with Independent Greeks, who took 13 seats.

The populist, rightwing Independent Greeks (Anel) would at first sight make for a strange bedfellow for the radical leftists Syriza and the deal makes an unusual alliance, but they are brought together by a mutual hatred for the bailout programme keeping Greece afloat.

The two parties have vastly diverging world views, standing well apart on issues such as illegal migration, Greece’s ever-fractious relationship with Nato rival Turkey, gay marriage and the role of the Greek Orthodox church.

Under their leader Panos Kammenos, who defected from the centre-right New Democracy party to form Anel at the height of the crisis in February 2012, the group has proved to be rabidly nationalistic in foreign affairs.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/26/greece-elections-who-are-independent-greeks

[stevenleser]

1. My Greek friends tell me that Syriza is also very nationalistic and ethnocentric

Between that and their anti-bailout, anti-Austerity agreement, which I happen to agree with, they have enough to agree on to be stable enough for a while.

[PoliticAverse]

2. They're a bit like the Greek version of Teabaggers.

I wonder what they'll get for their part in the coalition.

[stevenleser]

3. They are also anti-austerity and anti-bailout, so that's a good fit with Syriza

As I mentioned upthread and elsewhere, my Greek friends are telling me that Syriza is also very nationalistic, so I expect to see some meeting of the minds between the two parties there. And that has me worried.

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. They may get to veto social changes that Syriza might have otherwise tried

Pure speculation on my part, based largely on this article, but since same-sex unions aren't currently legally recognised, it's the kind of thing that Syriza might agree to postpone change on: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recognition_of_same-sex_unions_in_Greece

[Baclava]

5. Greek elections: Main parties from Syriza to Golden Dawn explained

Independent Greeks



The Independent Greeks, a centre-right anti-bailout party, formed as a New Democracy splinter in 2012. It is led by Panos Kammenos.

It shares little ideological ground with Syriza, but some analysts say its anti-austerity orientation could lead to a deal.



Greek Communist Party (KKE)



Greece's civil war ended in 1949 with the defeat of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and it was banned from politics until 1974.

Syriza has now supplanted Pasok as the dominant party of the left


Golden Dawn



Feared by many as neo-Nazis, Golden Dawn nevertheless gained substantial support during the economic crisis.

In 2014, the far-right party gained the third highest share of the vote in the European Parliament elections in Greece, translating into three MEPs



Syriza



Syriza is an acronym meaning the 'Radical Coalition of the Left'. Formed in 2004, it is an umbrella group of the far left in Greece, with the party Synaspismos (Coalition of the Left of Movements and Ecology) the key component.

Syriza's firebrand leader is 40-year-old Alexis Tsipras. Mr Tsipras originated from the youth wing of the Greek Communist Party, the KKE, and rose to prominence as candidate for the mayor of Athens in 2006.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-30913028