A Critical Analysis of the Greek Referendum of July 2015 Cover Image

A Critical Analysis of the Greek Referendum of July 2015
A Critical Analysis of the Greek Referendum of July 2015

Author(s): Yannis Sygkelos
Subject(s): Government/Political systems, Electoral systems
Published by: Universität Graz
Keywords: Greece;Referendum;Syriza;

Summary/Abstract: On 27 June 2015, after five months of politics of brinkmanship in negotiations with the European Union / European Central Bank / International Monetary Fund (EU/ECB/IMF) troika, Alexis Tsipras, the Prime Minister of the unusual coalition government of the left-wing Coalition of the Radical Left (Synaspismos Rizospastikis Aristeras, SYRIZA) and the far-right Independent Greeks (Aneksartitoi Ellines, ANEL), all of a sudden, proclaimed a referendum, to be held on 5 July 2015. Referendums first ushered in under the rule of Napoleon Bonaparte; in the 19th and the first half of the 20th century, they were, at its best, a highly controversial form of direct democracy. Referendums were being advocated by so uncommon political forces as British Conservatives, German Social Democrats and Nazis, but were also being disapproved by severely opposing political ideologues such as liberals and communists.1 By the end of the 20th century, though, they have proliferated in many European countries, inasmuch as issue politics have been outweighing representative democracy along with social, economic, ethnic and/or religious cleavages.

  • Issue Year: 2/2015
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 1-6
  • Page Count: 6
  • Language: English