Editing Politics of Greece

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{{Politics of Greece}}

[[Greece]] is a [[parliamentary system|parliamentary]] [[representative democracy|representative democratic]] republic, where the [[President of Greece]] is the [[head of state]] and the [[Prime Minister of Greece]] is the [[head of government]] within a [[multi-party system]]. [[Legislative power]] is vested in both the [[Government of Greece|government]] and the [[Hellenic Parliament]]. Between the [[Metapolitefsi|restoration of democracy]] in 1974 and the [[Greek government-debt crisis]], the party system was dominated by the liberal-conservative [[New Democracy (Greece)|New Democracy]] and the social-democratic [[PASOK]]. Since 2012, the anti-austerity, democratic socialist party [[Syriza]] has taken the place of PASOK as the largest left wing party, with their first election victory in January 2015.

The [[judiciary]] is independent of the executive and the legislature.

The [[Constitution of Greece]], which describes Greece as a "presidential parliamentary republic", includes extensive specific guarantees of [[civil liberties]] and vests the powers of the head of state in a president elected by parliament. The Greek governmental structure is similar to that found in many other Western [[democracy|democracies]], and has been described as a compromise between the French and German models. The prime minister and cabinet play the central role in the political process, while the president performs some executive and legislative functions in addition to ceremonial duties. Voting in Greece is officially compulsory, but this is not enforced.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.idea.int/data-tools/data/voter-turnout/compulsory-voting|title=Compulsory Voting|website=International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance|access-date=4 December 2019}}</ref>

== Executive branch ==
The [[Cabinet of Greece]], which is the main organ of the [[Government of Greece|government]], includes the heads of all executive ministries, appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister.

=== President ===
{{Further|President of Greece}}

The President of the Republic is elected by the Parliament for a five-year term (election last held 22 January 2020), and a maximum of two terms in office. When a presidential term expires, Parliament votes to elect the new president. In the first two votes, a {{frac|2|3}} majority (200 votes) is necessary. The third and final vote requires a {{frac|3|5}} (180 votes) majority.

If the third vote is fruitless, Parliament is no longer dissolved. The election for president is repeated immediately with a {{frac|3|5}} majority required for the initial vote, an absolute majority for the second one (151 votes) and a simple majority for the third and final one. The system is so designed as to promote consensus presidential candidates among the main political parties.

The president has the power to [[declare war]], to grant [[pardon]] (forgiveness) and to conclude agreements of peace, alliance, and participation in international organizations; upon the request of the government a simple parliamentary majority is required to confirm such actions, agreements, or treaties. An absolute or a three-fifths majority is required in exceptional cases (for example, the [[Enlargement of the European Union|accession into the EU]] needed a {{frac|3|5}} majority).

The president can also exercise certain emergency powers, which must be countersigned by the appropriate cabinet minister.  The president may not dissolve parliament, dismiss the government, suspend certain articles of the constitution, issue a proclamation or declare a state of siege without countersigning by the prime minister or the appropriate cabinet minister. To call a referendum, they must obtain approval from parliament. They can appoint ministers after they are recommended by the Prime Minister. Although not official, the president of Greece is usually from the main opposition party so that the government and opposition can agree and not host elections. Sometimes they are chosen from outside the political ranks. Currently, the president of Greece is [[Konstantinos Tasoulas]], the 9th President of Greece since the restoration of democracy in 1974.

=== Prime minister ===
{{Further|Prime Minister of Greece}}

The prime minister is elected by the Parliament and is usually the leader of the party controlling the absolute majority of MPs. According to the Constitution, the prime minister safeguards the unity of the government and directs its activities. Although officially holding the second highest rank as head of the Hellenic government and not the Republic, they are the most powerful person of the Greek political system and recommends ministers to the President for appointment or dismissal. Although officially just head of Government, not of state, they conduct professional business and the President is just the Supreme Executive.

=== Maintaining the support of parliament ===
Greek parliamentary politics hinge upon the principle of the "{{lang|el|δεδηλωμένη}}" (pronounced "dhedhilom'''e'''ni"), the "declared confidence" of Parliament to the Prime Minister and his/her administration. This means that the president of the Republic is bound to appoint, as prime minister, a person who will be approved by a majority of the Parliament's members (i.e. 151 votes). With the current electoral system, it is the leader of the party gaining a plurality of the votes in the Parliamentary elections who is appointed prime minister.

An administration may at any time seek a "vote of confidence". Conversely a number of members of parliament may ask that a "vote of reproach" be taken. Both are rare occurrences with usually predictable outcomes as voting outside the party line happens very seldom.

==Legislative branch==
{{Further|Hellenic Parliament|Elections in Greece}}

[[File:Attica 06-13 Athens 10 Parliament.jpg|thumb|300px|The [[Greek Parliament]] building, which was the [[Old Royal Palace]]]]

Greece elects a legislature by universal suffrage of all citizens over the age of 17 (changed in 2018). The [[Parliament of Greece|Greek Parliament]] (Βουλή των Ελλήνων) has 300 members, elected for a four-year term by a system of reinforced [[proportional representation]] in 48 multi-seat [[constituency|constituencies]], 8 single-seat constituencies and a single nationwide list. 288 of the 300 seats are determined by constituency voting, and voters may select the candidate or candidates of their choice by marking their name on the party ballot. The remaining 12 seats are filled from nationwide party lists on a top-down basis and based on the proportion of the total vote each party received.

Greece uses a complex reinforced proportional representation electoral system which discourages splinter parties and makes a parliamentary majority possible even if the leading party falls short of a majority of the popular vote. Under the current electoral law, any single party must receive at least a 3% nationwide vote tally to elect members of parliament (the so-called "3% threshold"). The largest party gets a 50-seat bonus (out of 300 seats) ostensibly to ensure elections return viable governing majorities. Various times throughout the years, the system has been changed, and parties often fall short of the 151 seats required to have a majority, so they create coalitions.

The law in its current form favors the [[first past the post]] party to achieve an absolute (151 parliamentary seats) majority, provided it receives a 41%+ nationwide vote. This is touted to enhance governmental stability. These electoral laws can be changed by simple parliamentary majority, but a law so changed will not come into effect for two election cycles unless passed by a {{frac|2|3}} majority in the Hellenic Parliament.

==Judicial branch==
{{Main|Judicial system of Greece}}
[[File:Council of State, Greece, 2008.jpg|thumb|300px|The building of the ''Arsakeion'' in Athens, where the [[Council of State (Greece)|Council of State]] is seated]]

In Greece the judicial branch is divided into civil, and administrative courts. Civil courts judge civil and penal cases, whereas administrative courts judge administrative cases, namely disputes between the citizens and the State.

The judicial system of Greece comprises three Supreme Courts: the [[Court of Cassation (Greece)|Court of Cassation]] (Άρειος Πάγος), the [[Council of State (Greece)|Council of State]] (Συμβούλιο της Επικρατείας) and the [[Chamber of Accounts (Greece)|Chamber of Accounts]] (Ελεγκτικό Συνέδριο). These high courts are composed of professional judges, graduates of the National School of Judges. The way the judges are gradually promoted, until they become members of the Supreme Courts, is defined by the Constitution and the existing laws. The presidents and the vice-presidents of the three Supreme Courts are chosen by the [[Cabinet of Greece]] among the serving members of each of the Supreme Courts.

The [[Court of Cassation (Greece)|Court of Cassation]] is the supreme civil and penal court, whereas the [[Council of State (Greece)|Council of State]] is the supreme administrative court. The [[Chamber of Accounts (Greece)|Chamber of Accounts]] has an [[exclusive jurisdiction]] over certain administrative areas (for example it judges disputes arising from the legislation regulating the pensions of civil servants) and its decisions are irrevocable. This means that they are not judged at second instance by the Council of State.

Sometimes, the Supreme Courts take contradictory decisions or they judge differently the constitutionality of a legal provision. These disputes are resolved by the [[Supreme Special Court (Greece)|Supreme Special Court]], whose composition and jurisdiction is regulated by the Constitution (article 100). As its name reveals, this court is not permanent and it sits when a special case belonging to its jurisdiction arises. When the [[Supreme Special Court (Greece)|Supreme Special Court]] sits, it comprises eleven members: the presidents of the three Supreme Courts, four members of the Court of Cassation and four members of the Council of State.

When it judges the constitutionality of a law or resolves the disputes between Supreme Courts, its composition comprises two more members: two professors of the Law Schools of Greece. The Supreme Special Court is the only court which can declare an unconstitutional legal provision as "powerless" (something like "null and void"), while the three Supreme Courts can only declare an unconstitutional legal provision as "inapplicable" to that particular case. The Supreme Special Court is also the Supreme Electoral Court, judging pleas against the legality of the legislative elections.

== Administrative divisions ==
{{Further|Administrative divisions of Greece}}
[[File:Kallikratis dioikisi.png|thumb|350px|The [[administrative divisions of Greece]], showing administrative regions and regional units]]

Greece is divided into [[Modern regions of Greece|13 administrative regions]] which are further divided into [[Regional units of Greece|74 regional units]]. The 13 administrative regions (Περιφέρειες, Periféries) are each headed by a popularly elected governor (Περιφερειάρχης, Periferiárhis) and presided over by the popularly elected regional council (Περιφερειακό Συμβούλιο, Periferiakó Simvoúlio). Each of the 74 regional units (Περιφερειακές Ενότητες, Periferiakés Enóti̱tes) are headed by a vice governor (Αντιπεριφερειάρχης, Antiperiferiárhis), who is taken from the same political party as the elected governor. The 13 regions are mostly political and geographically.{{clarify|date=July 2020}} Greece is home to nine regions: [[Thrace]], with the capital [[Alexandroupolis]], [[Macedonia (Greece)|Macedonia]], with the capital of [[Thessaloniki]]; Epirus; Central Greece; Peloponnese; the Ionian Islands; the Aegean islands; Crete; and Athens.

Greece's 74 regional units are divided into [[Municipalities and communities of Greece|325 municipalities]] (Δήμοι, Dhími) which are led by a popularly elected mayor (Δήμαρχος, Dhímarhos) and municipal council (Δημοτικό Συμβούλιο, Dhimotikó Simvoúlio). Each municipality is divided into small municipal units (Δημοτικές Ενότητες, Dhimotikés Enótites) which in turn contain municipal communities (relatively urban communities) and local communities (relatively rural communities). Municipal councils select community members to serve on more local town hall councils which focus on local needs in the municipality's communities and give local feedback to the municipal government.

Although municipalities and villages have elected officials, they often do not have an adequate independent revenue base and must depend on the central government budget for a large part of their financial needs. Consequently, they are subject to numerous central government controls. This also leads to extremely low municipal taxes (usually around 0.2% or less).

Greece also includes one autonomous region, the [[Monastery|monastic]] community of the Holy Mountain, [[Mount Athos]].

==Foreign relations==
{{Further|Foreign relations of Greece}}

As one of the first Euro-Atlantic member states in the region of Southeast Europe, Greece enjoys a prominent geopolitical role, due to its political and geographical proximity to Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Its main allies are France, United Kingdom, Italy, Bulgaria, United States, the other [[NATO]] countries and the [[European Union]].

Greece also maintains strong diplomatic relations with Cyprus, Albania, Russia, Serbia, Armenia and Israel, while at the same time focuses at improving further the good relations with Egypt and the [[Arab World]], [[Caucasus]], India and China. As member of both the EU and the [[Union for the Mediterranean]], Greece is a key player in the eastern Mediterranean region and has encouraged the collaboration between neighbors, as well as promoting the [[Energy Triangle]], for gas exports to Europe. Greece also has the largest economy in the [[Balkans]], where it is an important regional investor.

Prominent issues in Hellenic foreign policy include the [[Aegean dispute|claims in the Aegean Sea]] and Eastern Mediterranean by Turkey and the Turkish [[Turkish Invasion of Cyprus|occupation of Cyprus]].

==Notable politicians of Greece==
{{Main|List of political families in Greece}}

===Former===

{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
* [[Evangelos Averoff]]
* [[Georgios Christakis-Zografos]]
* [[Epameinondas Deligiorgis]]
* [[Theodoros Deligiannis]]
* [[Ion Dragoumis]]
* [[Stephanos Dragoumis]]
* [[Dimitrios Gounaris]]
* [[Ilias Iliou]]
* [[Dimitrios Kallergis]]
* [[Konstantinos Kanaris]]
* [[Panagiotis Kanellopoulos]]
* [[Ioannis Kapodistrias]]
* [[Konstantinos Karamanlis]]
* [[Ioannis Kolettis]]
* [[Alexandros Koumoundouros]]
* [[Leonidas Kyrkos]]
* [[Grigoris Lambrakis]]
* [[Spyros Markezinis]]
* [[Alexandros Mavrokordatos]]
* [[Andreas Metaxas]]
{{col-2}}
* [[Ioannis Metaxas]]
* [[Konstantinos Mitsotakis]]
* [[Alexandros Panagoulis]]
* [[Alexandros Papagos]]
* [[Alexandros Papanastasiou]]
* [[Andreas Papandreou]]
* [[Georgios Papandreou]]
* [[Nikolaos Plastiras]]
* [[Georgios Rallis]]
* [[Alexandros Rizos Rangavis]]
* [[Ioannis Sfakianakis]]
* [[Themistoklis Sofoulis]]
* [[Konstantinos Stephanopoulos]]
* [[Georgios Theotokis]]
* [[Charilaos Trikoupis]]
* [[Spyridon Trikoupis]]
* [[Eleftherios Venizelos]]
* [[Sofoklis Venizelos]]
* [[Nikos Zachariadis]]
* [[Alexandros Zaimis]]
{{col-2}}
{{col-end}}

===Current===

{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
* [[Dimitris Avramopoulos]] (former Mayor of Athens)
* [[Dora Bakoyannis]] (former Mayor of Athens)
* [[Kostas Bakoyannis]] (Mayor of Athens since 2019)
* [[Stavros Dimas]] (former European Commissioner for the Environment and Secretary of the State)
* [[Maria Damanaki]] (former Leader of SYN)
* [[Nikos Dendias]] (Secretary of the State)
* [[Anna Diamantopoulou]] (former Secretary of Education, Lifelong Learning and Religious Affairs)
* [[Pavlos Geroulanos]] (former Secretary of Culture and Tourism)
* [[Kostis Hatzidakis]] (Secretary of the Labor and Social Affairs)
* [[Kostas Karamanlis]] (former prime minister)
* [[Nikos Kotzias]] (former Secretary of the State)
* [[Dimitris Koutsoumpas]] (General Secretary of Communist Party of Greece)
* [[Fotis Kouvelis]] (former Leader of DIMAR)
{{col-2}}
* [[Stefanos Manos]] (former Secretary of the Treasury)
* [[Kyriakos Mitsotakis]] (Prime Minister)
* [[Dimitrios Papadimoulis]] (vice-president of the European Parliament)
* [[George Papandreou]] (former prime minister and Leader of Socialist International)
* [[Giannis Ragousis]] (Former Secretary of the Interior)
* [[Katerina Sakellaropoulou]] (President of the Hellenic Republic)
* [[Antonis Samaras]] (former prime minister)
* [[Alexis Tsipras]] (former prime minister)
* [[Euclid Tsakalotos]] (former Secretary of the Treasury)
* [[Stavros Theodorakis]] (former Leader of To Potami)
* [[Yanis Varoufakis]] (Former Secretary of the Treasury)
* [[Kyriakos Velopoulos]] (leader of Greek Solution)
* [[Evangelos Venizelos]] (former Secretary of National Defense)
{{col-2}}
{{col-end}}

== Political issues ==

=== Education ===
{{Main|Education in Greece}}
[[File:Working-class protest in Greece.JPG|thumb|A working class political protest in Athens, Greece calling for the boycott of a local bookshop after, allegedly, an employee was fired for her political activism]]

Under the Greek constitution,<ref name="GreekConstitution-Education-General">[http://www.hri.org/docs/syntagma/artcl25.html#A16 Article 16 of the Constitution of Greece] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171002214338/http://www.hri.org/docs/syntagma/artcl25.html#A16 |date=2 October 2017 }}.</ref> education is the responsibility of the state. Most Greeks attend public primary and secondary schools. There are a few private schools, which must meet the standard curriculum of and are supervised by the Ministry of Education. The Ministry of Education oversees and directs every aspect of the public education process at all levels, including hiring all teachers and professors and producing all required textbooks.

====Non-state owned universities====
A recent issue concerning education in Greece is the institutionalisation of private universities. According to the constitution<ref name="GreekConstitution-Education-Universities">[http://www.hri.org/docs/syntagma/artcl25.html#A16 Article 16 of the Constitution of Greece] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171002214338/http://www.hri.org/docs/syntagma/artcl25.html#A16 |date=2 October 2017 }}, Section 5:  "Education at university level shall be provided exclusively by institutions which are fully self-governed public law legal persons".</ref> only state-run universities operate on the land. However, in recent years many foreign private universities have established branches in Greece, offering [[bachelor's]] level degrees, thus creating a legal contradiction between the Greek constitution and the EU laws allowing foreign companies to operate anywhere in the Union.

At the outset of 2006, prime minister [[Kostas Karamanlis]] announced the initiative of his government for a new amendment of the [[Constitution of Greece|Constitution]]. According to his assertion one of the main issues of this amendment (the second within less than 10 years) is going to be the creation of "non-state owned" universities.

=== Illegal immigration ===
{{Main|Immigration to Greece}}

Greece has problems with illegal immigration, especially from or via Turkey. Greek authorities believe that 90% of illegal immigrants in the EU enter through Greece, many fleeing because of unrest and poverty in the Middle East and Africa.<ref>{{cite news|title= Tensions Rise Over Illegal Immigrants in Greece |work=[[NPR]]|url=https://www.npr.org/2011/08/14/139613525/tensions-over-illegal-immigrants-in-greece-rises|access-date=2012-04-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title= Southern Europe's Immigration Test|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|date=18 February 2010|url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1964957_1964954_1964953,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100221055605/http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1964957_1964954_1964953,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=21 February 2010|access-date=2012-05-30}}</ref>

Several European courts have held that Greece is not complying with minimum standards of treatment for asylum seekers, so that illegal migrants who reach other countries cannot be sent back to Greece.<ref>{{cite news|title= On illegal immigration, Greek left, war damages, Klaus Boetig, traffic accidents   |work=[[Ekathimerini]]|url= http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite3_1_30/03/2012_435673|access-date=2012-04-01}}</ref>

Numerous solutions have been proposed by the Greek government such as building a fence on the Turkish border and setting up detention camps.<ref>{{cite news|title= Greece to Build Border Fence to Deter Illegal Immigrants |work=[[The New York Times]]|date=6 February 2012|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/07/world/europe/greece-to-build-fence-on-turkish-border-to-curb-illegal-immigrants.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220102/https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/07/world/europe/greece-to-build-fence-on-turkish-border-to-curb-illegal-immigrants.html |archive-date=2022-01-02 |url-access=limited |url-status=live|access-date=2012-04-01}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title= Greece to open new detention centres for illegal migrants  |work=[[The Guardian]]|date=29 March 2012|url= https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/mar/29/greece-detention-centres-migrants?newsfeed=true|access-date=2012-04-01|location=London|first=Helena|last=Smith}}</ref>

=== Judicial system ===
{{Main|Judicial system of Greece}}
One of the main problems of the system is the long-time process needed, even for a simple case, something that negatively impacts investment, entrepreneurship, social relations, corporate governance, and public governance.<ref>[http://www.ekathimerini.com/163295/article/ekathimerini/comment/the-greek-judicial-system-in-critical-condition The Greek judicial system in critical condition]</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://bponline.amcham.gr/?p=2828 |title=The Greek Legal Crisis & Reform Of The Greek Legal System |access-date=8 July 2016 |archive-date=9 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809110456/http://bponline.amcham.gr/?p=2828 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Also [[corruption in Greece|corruption cases]] have appeared during the last years, such as the ''[[Paradikastiko]]'' organization scandal.<ref>[http://www.koutipandoras.gr/article/premiera-ths-dikhs-toy-paradikastikoy-kyklwmatos-me-fonto-apeilhtika-shmeiwmata-kai-sfaires Πρεμιέρα της δίκης του παραδικαστικού]</ref>

Manipulation of the judicial system and its decisions by each government, is another common phenomenon which violates the independency of the system.

====Prisons====
There are three prison types in Greece: general, special, and therapeutic prisons. General prisons include three different types of inmates: type A, type B, and type C. Special prisons include rural units, juvenile institutions, and semi-liberty centers. One example of a special prison would be an agricultural prison. The last type is a therapeutic prison, which includes hospitals and rehab centers for inmates.<ref name="prison1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.prisonobservatory.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=14:prison-conditions-in-greek&catid=13:documents&Itemid=116|title=Prison conditions in Greece|date=4 July 2014|website=European Prison Observatory|access-date=17 April 2019}}{{Dead link|date=May 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

Within these centers the percentage of female prisoners is 5.5%, which amounts to around 538 prisoners. The percentage of juveniles in Greek prison is 2.9%. Greece's occupancy rate in prisons is 99%, which means that its prisons are near full capacity. With some exceptions occupancy exceeds 100%, and in some establishments, it reaches, or surpasses, 300%.<ref name="prison1"/> Because of this the Greek Justice Ministry and the European Council want to improve Greek prison conditions. These improvements include training for guards, improving of medical facilities, and better treatment of prisoners. These selected improvements are three human rights that the Greek correctional system would like to tackle.

=== Media ===
{{Main|Media in Greece}}
The Greek media, collectively, is a very influential institution – usually aggressive, sensationalist. As with many countries, most of the media are owned by businesses with commercial interests in other sectors of the economy. There are often accusations of newspapers, magazines, and radio and television channels being used to promote their commercial enterprises as well as to seek political influence.

In 1994, the [[Minister for the Press and the Media (Greece)|Ministry of Press and Media]] was established to deal with media and communication issues. [[Ellinikí Radiofonía Tileórasi|ERT S.A.]], a public corporation supervised by the Minister of Press, operates three national television channels and five national radio channels. The Minister of Press also serves as the primary government spokesperson.

The Secretary General of Press and Information prepares the semi-official Athens News Agency (ANA) Bulletin. Along with [[Associated Press|AP]] and [[Reuters]], this is a primary source of information for the Greek press. The Ministry of Press and Information also issues the semi-official Macedonian News Agency (MPE) Bulletin, which is distributed throughout the Balkan region. For international news, [[CNN]] is a particular influence in the Greek market; the major television channels often use it as a source. State and private television stations also use [[European Broadcasting Union|Eurovision]] and [[Visnews]] as sources. While few papers and stations have overseas correspondents, those few correspondents abroad can be very influential.

In 1988, a new law provided the legal framework for the establishment of private radio stations and, in 1989, private television stations. According to the law, supervision of radio and television is exercised by the National Radio and Television Council. In practice, however, official licensing has been delayed for many years. Because of this, there has been a proliferation of private radio and television stations, as well as European satellite channels, including [[Euronews]]. More than 1,000 radio stations were operating before March 2002, when the government implemented plans to reallocate television frequencies and issue licenses as authorized by the 1993 Media Law, effectively reducing this number.

====Media freedom====
In 2011, the government proposed new measures that will restrict the freedom of speech in the internet. According to some proposals, every individual who would like to use free platforms, such like [[Blogspot]] or [[WordPress.com]] will be forced to get officially registered in the courts, as due to tough austerity measures web sites that criticize the government and the political system in general have been multiplied.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.avgi.gr/ArticleActionshow.action?articleID=634166 |title=Ανωνυμία, ψευδωνυμία και επωνυμία στο διαδίκτυο – Η Αυγή online |access-date=8 October 2011 |archive-date=16 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111016120906/http://www.avgi.gr/ArticleActionshow.action?articleID=634166 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[Press freedom]] sharply eroded in Greece during [[Greek government-debt crisis|the economic and financial crisis of 2008 – 2019]], passing from the 35th place in 2009 in [[Reporters Without Borders]] [[Press Freedom Index]] to the 99th place in 2014, well below all [[Western Balkans]] countries as well as states with repressive media policies such as Gabon, Kuwait or Liberia.<ref name=euroscope>{{cite web |url-status=dead |first1=Thomas |last1=Van Der Heijden |url=http://publications.europeintheworld.com/media-landscape-greece-must-reform-quickly-3/ |title=Media landscape in Greece must reform quickly |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304124445/http://publications.europeintheworld.com/media-landscape-greece-must-reform-quickly-3/ |archive-date=4 March 2016 |website=Euroscope |date=28 November 2014}}</ref> Greece is today the [[EU member state]] "where journalism and the media face their most acute crisis".<ref name=OSF>Petros Iosifidis and Dimitris Boucas, "[https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/sites/default/files/media-policy-independent-journalism-greece-20150511.pdf Media Policy and Independent Journalism in Greece]" (PDF), [[Open Society Foundations]] report, 1 May 2015.</ref> In 2022, Greece ranked 27th in the EU and 108 out of 180 countries according to [[Reporters Without Borders]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://rsf.org/en/country/greece |access-date=10 July 2022|title=Greece |website=RSF }}</ref>

=====Petsas's List=====
Cabinet of Kyriakos Mitsotakis allocated €19,832,132.94 to media and press. After pressure from the opposition, Stylianos Petsas, then government representative, published the list. Less than 1% of the 20 million euros of the campaign was given to the opposition press. 
According to OGG 475BB/27-10-2020, a Second "Petsas's List" was announced, this time exclusively on nationwide free-to-air stations. This was followed by the vaccination campaign, amounting to 18,500,000 euros and the Plevris List with total amounts of 4,960,000 euros.

=== Military service ===
{{Main|Conscription in Greece}}

Twelve months for all males of 18 years of age; Compulsory with fines and imprisonment if denied, but neither fine nor imprisonment has been imposed since 1994, where the last warrant against a draft-dodger was issued. Members of families with three children serve a reduced time of six months. Military service can also be substituted with a longer public service, which by the standards of Amnesty International, ought to be considered punitive as it is twice as long as the regular tour of duty.

Limited steps have been taken to turn the Greek military into a semi-[[professional army]] in the last years, leading to the gradual reduction of the service from 18 to 12 to 9 months and the inclusion of a greater number of professional military personnel in most vertices of the force. Recent developments, though, within the anti-conscription movement in Greece, such as the high death rate from suicides<ref>{{Cite web |title=Greece Suicide Rate 2000-2023 |url=https://www.macrotrends.net/countries/GRC/greece/suicide-rate |access-date=2023-03-16 |website=Macrotrends }}</ref> during service and work-related accidents, such as the [[Manitsa]] incident, combined with a high rate of draft-dodging, have advanced the idea that mandatory conscription should be abolished and an all-professional/all-volunteer army should be put in place.{{Citation needed|date=June 2007}}

==== Military spending ====
Greece directs approximately 1.7% of its GDP <!--This most probably refers to direct military spending. "Indirect" was mentioned. Please clarify this. --> to military expenditures, the 7th highest percentage in Europe.<ref name="mil_percent_gdp">[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2034rank.html Military Spending – Rank Order, Military expenditure] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180120113336/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2034rank.html |date=20 January 2018 }} (2012 figures)</ref> In absolute numbers the Greek [[military budget]] ranked 28th in the world in 2005. By the same measure, Greek military budget ranked 6th in the Mediterranean basin (behind France, Italy, Turkey, Israel and Spain) and 2nd (behind Turkey) in its immediate vicinity, the [[Balkans]].<ref name="mil_spend_rank">All rankings according to the [http://www.armscontrolcenter.org/archives/002244.php World ranking of military budgets] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100401211950/http://www.armscontrolcenter.org/archives/002244.php |date=1 April 2010 }}</ref> Greek arms purchasing is among the highest in the world: Greece ranked 3rd in the world in 2004.<ref name="mil_imports">[http://www.in.gr/news/article.asp?lngEntityID=630226 Article from in.gr (08/06/05)] (in Greek)</ref>

These figures are explained<ref name="mil_explanation_sources">{{Cite web |url=https://fas.org/asmp/profiles/greece.htm#Arms%20Sales%20Tables |title=US Arms Clients Profiles – Greece |access-date=15 May 2016 |archive-date=19 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160419015845/http://fas.org/asmp/profiles/greece.htm#Arms%20Sales%20Tables |url-status=dead }}</ref> in the light of the [[arms race]] between Greece and Turkey with key issues being the [[Cyprus dispute]] and disagreement over [[Aegean dispute|sovereignty of certain islets]] of the [[Aegean Sea|Aegean]]. For more information see [[Greco-Turkish relations]]. Conversely, the foreign relations of Greece as well as many internal policy decisions are largely affected by its arms purchases. The United States, being the major arms seller to Greece has been known to actively intervene in military spending decisions made by the Greek government.<ref name="mil_explanation_sources2">[https://fas.org/asmp/profiles/greece.htm#Arms%20Sales%20Tables US Arms Clients Profiles – Greece] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160419015845/http://fas.org/asmp/profiles/greece.htm#Arms%20Sales%20Tables |date=19 April 2016 }}: "The Greek publication Elevtherotipia reported that former Ambassador Nicholas Burns had taken part in attempting to dissuade Greek officials from purchasing the Eurofighter in favor of a U.S. military aircraft."</ref> The US has at times actively stepped in to help avoid large scale crisis, as in the case of the [[Imia-Kardak crisis]].

The reduction of military spending has long been an issue in Greek politics. The former prime minister, [[Kostas Karamanlis]] had proposed a reduction to military spending through a "Defence Eurozone",<ref name="mil_Karam_expo">[http://www.hri.org/news/greek/eragr/2003/03-09-13_1.eragr.htmlThe Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in Greek, 03-09-13]{{Dead link|date=February 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> referring to the [[European Security and Defence Policy]]. The previous PASOK administration, also planned on reducing military spending<ref name="mil_pasok_2001">{{Cite web |url=http://www.hri.org/news/grpapers/typos/2001/01-11-15.typos.html |title=Athens News Agency: Press Review in Greek, 01-11-15 |access-date=17 April 2006 |archive-date=16 August 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050816081257/http://www.hri.org/news/grpapers/typos/2001/01-11-15.typos.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> prior to its failure to be re-elected in 2004, while PASOK politicians usually refer to money saved from reducing military spending as a "peace dividend" ("μέρισμα ειρήνης").<ref name="mil_pasok_div">{{Cite web |url=http://www.mnec.gr/christ_int_211203.aspx |title=Speech of PASOK former finance minister Nikos Christodoulakis |access-date=17 April 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060811070730/http://www.mnec.gr/christ_int_211203.aspx |archive-date=11 August 2006 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Some of the parties on the left, such as the [[Communist Party of Greece]] and [[Synaspismos]], have been vocal in condemning military spending. Regarding the purchase of 30 [[F-16]] and 333 [[Leopard 2|Leopard tank]]s in 2005, both parties criticized the New Democracy administration for spending money on weapons while doing nothing to relieve the lower classes and said that high military spending "does not correspond to the real needs of the country but is carried out according to [[NATO]] planning and to serve weapon manufacturers and the countries that host them".<ref name="mil_left">{{Cite web |url=http://www.hri.org/news/europe/bbc/2005/05-07-19.bbc.html |title=HR-NET index of BBC broadcasts in Greek, 05-07-19 News |access-date=17 April 2006 |archive-date=1 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220601062236/http://www.hri.org/news/europe/bbc/2005/05-07-19.bbc.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

=== Church-state relations ===
{{Main|Religion in Greece}}

The [[Church of Greece|Greek Orthodox Church]] is under the protection of the State, which pays the clergy's salaries, and [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Orthodox Christianity]] is the "'prevailing" religion of Greece according to the Constitution. The Greek Orthodox Church is self-governing but under the spiritual guidance of the Ecumenical Patriarch in [[Constantinople]]. Freedom of religious beliefs is guaranteed by the Constitution, but "[[proselytism]]" is officially illegal. According to the most recent Eurostat "Eurobarometer" poll, in 2005,<ref name="Eurostat poll on the social and religious beliefs of Europeans">Eurobarometer, http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_225_report_en.pdf</ref> 81% of Greek citizens responded that "they believe there is a God", whereas 16% answered that "they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force" and only 3% that "they do not believe there is a God, spirit, nor life force". This would make Greece one of the most religious countries in the European Union of 25 members, after Malta, Romania and Cyprus.

The Muslim minority, concentrated in [[Thrace]], was given legal status by provisions of the [[Treaty of Lausanne (1923)]] and is Greece's only officially recognized religious minority. There are small Roman Catholic communities on some of the [[Cyclades]] and the Ionian Islands, remnants of the long [[Republic of Venice|Venetian]] rule over the islands. The recent influx of (mostly illegal) immigrants from Eastern Europe and the Third World has an expectedly varied multi-religious profile (Roman Catholic, Muslim, [[Hindu]] etc.).

During the 2001 constitutional amendment, complete separation of church and state was proposed, but the two major parties, ND and PASOK, decided not to open this controversial matter, which clashes with both the population and the clergy. For example, numerous protests occurred over the removal of the Religious Denomination entry from the National ID card in 2000.

== Since 2015 ==

More left-wing [[Syriza]] overtook PASOK as the main party of the centre-left.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EYQgDQAAQBAJ&q=syriza%2520pasok%2520centre-left&pg=PA94|title=Radical Left Parties in Government: The Cases of SYRIZA and AKEL|isbn=9781137588418|last1=Katsourides|first1=Yiannos|date=22 September 2016|publisher=Springer }}</ref>[[Alexis Tsipras]] led Syriza to victory in the general election held on 25 January 2015, falling short of an outright majority in Parliament by just two seats. Syriza gained support by opposing the austerity policy that had affected Greeks since the beginning of the [[Greek government-debt crisis]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-30975437|title = Greece election: Anti-austerity Syriza wins election|work = BBC News|date = 26 January 2015}}</ref> The following morning, Tsipras reached an agreement with [[Independent Greeks]] party to form a coalition, and he was sworn in as Prime Minister of Greece.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2015/jan/26/greece-election-syriza-victory-alexis-tsipras-coalition-talks-live-updates|title = Alexis Tsipras sworn in as new Greek prime minister – as it happened|newspaper = The Guardian|date = 26 January 2015 |last1 = Wearden|first1 = Graeme |last2 = Tran|first2 = Mark}}</ref> Tsipras called snap elections in August 2015, resigning from his post, which led to a month-long caretaker administration headed by judge [[Vassiliki Thanou-Christophilou]], Greece's first female prime minister.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.economywatch.gr/vassiliki-thanou-christophilou-became-greeces-first-female-prime-minister/|title=Vassiliki Thanou-Christophilou became Greece's first female Prime Minister &#124; Economy Watch|access-date=12 May 2021|archive-date=19 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220219034341/https://www.economywatch.gr/vassiliki-thanou-christophilou-became-greeces-first-female-prime-minister/|url-status=dead}}</ref> In the September 2015 general election, Alexis Tsipras led Syriza to another victory, winning 145 out of 300 seats<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34307795|title = Greece election: Alexis Tsipras hails 'victory of the people'|work = BBC News|date = 21 September 2015}}</ref> and re-forming the coalition with the Independent Greeks.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dw.com/en/greek-finance-minister-tsakalotos-takes-key-role-in-tsipras-new-cabinet/a-18731437|title = Greek Finance Minister Tsakalotos takes key role in Tsipras' new cabinet &#124; DW &#124; 23.09.2015|website = [[Deutsche Welle]]}}</ref> However, he was defeated in the July 2019 general election by [[Kyriakos Mitsotakis]] who leads [[New Democracy (Greece)|New Democracy]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/07/greeks-choose-between-beach-and-ballot-in-first-post-debt-bailout-poll|title = Greek elections: Landslide victory for centre-right New Democracy party|website = [[TheGuardian.com]]|date = 7 July 2019}}</ref> On 7 July 2019, Kyriakos Mitsotakis was sworn in as the new Prime Minister of Greece. He formed a centre-right government after the landslide victory of his New Democracy party.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/7/8/kyriakos-mitsotakis-sworn-in-as-greeces-new-prime-minister|title = New era as Mitsotakis is sworn in as Greece's new PM}}</ref>

In March 2020, Greece's parliament elected a non-partisan candidate, [[Ekaterini Sakellaropoulou]], as the first female [[President of Greece]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/3/13/greeces-first-female-president-sworn-in|title = Greece swears in first female president}}</ref> In June 2023, conservative New Democracy party  won the legislative [[June 2023 Greek legislative election|election]], meaning another four-year term as prime minister for Kyriakos Mitsotakis.<ref>{{cite news |title=New Democracy party wins landslide victory in Greek elections |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/6/25/greece-votes-in-parliamentary-polls-for-second-time-in-five-weeks |work=www.aljazeera.com |language=en}}</ref>

According to the [[V-Dem Democracy indices]] Greece was 2023 the 37th most electoral democratic country in the world.<ref name="vdem_dataset">{{cite web |last=V-Dem Institute |date=2023 |title=The V-Dem Dataset |url=https://www.v-dem.net/data/the-v-dem-dataset/ |access-date=14 October 2023}}</ref>

On February 7, Members of the European Parliament approved  a critical resolution about the "worrying" decline of the [[rule of law]] in Greece, pointing the finger at Prime Minister [[Kyriakos Mitsotakis]]. The non-binding text details a string of concerns about the current state of Greek democracy, including harassment of journalists, privacy violations, wiretapping of political opponents, excessive use of police force, conflicts of interests, alleged [[Corruption in Greece|corruption]], smear campaigns against civil society and the "systematic" pushbacks of [[Immigration to Greece|migrants]]. Thus, Greece is the lowest-ranking EU country in the [[World Press Freedom Index]] curated by [[Reporters Without Borders]] (RSF), with an abysmal score of 55.2 points, considerably worse than Hungary (62.96), Bulgaria (62.98) and Poland (67.66). One of the reasons behind the ranking is the [[2022 Greek surveillance scandal|2022 scandal known as Predatorgate]], where cabinet members, political opponents and journalists were subject to prolonged surveillance. The scandal exposed Mitsotakis, who personally controls the Greek National Intelligence Service, to international censure but failed to dampen his electoral standing.<ref>MEPs voice alarm over rule-of-law decline in Greece, demand closer oversight of EU funds. (2024, February 7). Euronews. [https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/02/07/meps-voice-alarm-over-rule-of-law-decline-in-greece-demand-closer-oversight-of-eu-funds]</ref>

==Notes==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [http://www.gpsg.org.uk Greek Politics Specialist Group (GPSG) of the UK's Political Studies Association]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090609065440/http://ekloges.ypes.gr/pages/index.html Official election results], via the Greek Ministry of Internal Affairs
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20031222005835/http://www.ekloges.gr/ ekloges.gr], Greek elections
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150908031830/http://www.primeminister.gr/ Official website of the Prime Minister of Greece]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070930013150/http://news.kathimerini.gr/4dcgi/_w_articles_ell_1_30/03/2006_179002 Greece the first country in the globe in terms of student export]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120904111456/http://politicsgr.com/ Greek politics community forums]
*[http://www.english.rfi.fr/economy/20100628-eurozone-crisis Greece and eurozone in crisis] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100703073820/http://www.english.rfi.fr/economy/20100628-eurozone-crisis |date=3 July 2010 }}, dossier by Radio France Internationale in English June 2010

{{Greece topics}}
{{Politics of Europe}}
{{Parliaments in Europe}}
{{Commons category|Politics of Greece}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Politics of Greece| ]]