Synaspismós

Συνασπισμός της Αριστεράς των Κινημάτων και της Οικολογίας Synaspismós tīs Aristerás tōn Kinīmátōn kai tīs Oikologías Coalition of the Left of Movements and Ecology
Leader	Alexis Tsipras
Founded	1991
Headquarters	1 Eleftherias Square, 105 53 Athens
Ideology	Democratic socialism, Green/Red-Green, Social progressivism, Alter-globalization, Eurocommunism
Political position	Left-wing
International affiliation	None
European affiliation	Party of the European Left, Observer at the European Anticapitalist Left
European Parliament Group	European United Left–Nordic Green Left
Official colours	Yellow
Website
www.syn.gr/en/index.htm
Politics of Greece Political parties Elections

The Coalition of the Left of Movements and Ecology (Greek: Συνασπισμός της Αριστεράς των Κινημάτων και της Οικολογίας, Synaspismós tīs Aristerás tōn Kinīmátōn kai tīs Oikologías) is a Greek political party of the radical new left. It is commonly known simply as Synaspismos (Greek: Συνασπισμός, Synaspismós, "Coalition") and abbreviated to SYN (ΣΥΝ). Until 2003, it was called the Coalition of the Left and Progress (Greek: Συνασπισμός της Αριστεράς και της Προόδου, Synaspismós tīs Aristerás kai tīs Proódou).

SYN is the largest party of a left-wing political coalition formed in 2004 and named SYRIZA (Coalition of the Radical Left).

On 10 February 2008 engineer Alexis Tsipras was elected party president, replacing Alekos Alavanos, who stepped down citing private reasons. Since 2009 elections Tsipras wasn't holding a parliamentary seat, so Alavanos was the parliamentary leader of the coalition. But after the elections of 2009, in which Alavanos didnot participate, Tsipras entered the Parliament, and is currently leading the Synaspismós parliamentary group.

History

Coalition, late 1980s–1991

Synaspismos emerged initially as an electoral coalition at the late 1980s, with the two Greek Communist Parties (the pro-Soviet Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and Greek Left, the successor to the eurocommunist Communist Party of Greece (Interior) as its largest constituents. The disintegration of USSR brought the Left into disunion, and the traditional majority within KKE purged all non-hardliners from the party - almost 45% of the Central Committee members, including ex-general secretary Grigoris Farakos, and majorities in many Local Committees (named by the KKE majority as revisionists and by the press as the renewers), and also split from the coalition.

Coalition's electoral results

Results, 1989–1990 (year links to election page)
Year	Type of Election	Votes	%	MPs elected
1989	European Parliament	936,175	14.3	3
June 1989	Parliament	855,944	13.1	28
November 1989	Parliament	734,611	11.0	21
1990	Parliament	677,059	10.3	19

Party, 1991–present

After that, the other parties of the coalition and the renewing part of KKE decided to convert the alliance into a political party (1991).

Although the 'experiment' seemed to have great potential, serious ideological conflicts were afflicting the new party. At the legislative elections of 1993, SYN failed (for 2,000 votes) to pass the limit of 3% and enter the National Parliament. But next year, Synaspismos got its highest national 'score' ever (6,26%) in the 1994 elections for the European Parliament. Two years later, with 5,12%, got its highest score in 1996 elections for the Greek Parliament.

Former Synaspismos leader Alekos Alavanos giving a speech at a SYRIZA rally in Athens

In the legislative elections of 2000, SYN was supported by the small party AKOA and a small group of ecologists. After the elections a few members of the National Committee, who were asking for approximation with the socialdemocrats, left the party accusing the majority of neo-communist turn and created the short-lived party AEKA. AEKA was first split and little later disbanded in some months, when the head of the party became an Undersecretary in the socialdemocratic administration of Kostas Simitis.

In the legislative elections of 2004, Synaspismos, together with several smaller parties (AKOA, KEDA, DEA, Active Citizens), formed an alliance called SYRIZA, but contested the Euro-elections of the same year on its own, because of ideological disagreements within the party. The alliance with the smaller parties was formed again at the end of 2005, when chairman Alavanos proposed the 30-year-old Alexis Tsipras as candidate mayor of Athens for the Municipal Election of 2006, proclaiming the party's "overture to a younger generation". The Tsipras candidacy was received well, especially so by younger voters, and formed the party's springboard for its good 2007 parliamentary elections showing.

Party's electoral results

Results, 1993–2007 (year links to election page)
Year	Type of Election	Votes	%	MPs elected
1993	Parliament	202,887	2.94	0
1994	European Parliament	408,066	6.26	2
1996	Parliament	347,051	5.12	10
1999	European Parliament	331,928	5.16	2
2000	Parliament	219,880	3.20	6
2004	Parliament	241,539	3.30†	6
2004	European Parliament	254,447	4.16	1
2007	Parliament	361,059	5.04†	14
2009	European Parliament	240,930	4.70†	1
2009	Parliament	315,627	4.60†	13

^†As part of the Coalition of the Radical Left.

Ideological identity

SYN describes itself as a radical left party, inspired by the ideas of the renewal of the communist and broader left movement in Greece and in Europe. It also fights for the merging of the ecological movement along with the left, to form a strategic alliance. The party's culture has been enriched by its active participation in the movement against the Neoliberal Capitalist Globalization.

The ideology of SYN is influenced by Karl Marx, V.I. Lenin, Rosa Luxemburg, Antonio Gramsci, Louis Althusser, Nicos Poulantzas et al.

Synaspismos aspires to be an "canopy party"; where, under the party flag, one can find people of varying ideological and theoretical backgrounds. Therefore, SYN members are encouraged to form, or participate in, intra-party platforms on the basis of kinship in ideology. Platforms mount open discussions and publish magazines, but may not work against party consensus decisions.

The role of the platforms is vital especially in congresses, because each of them proposes a thesis on party strategy and presents its own ballot of candidates for the National Committee. In the National Committee elected by the last Congress (5th - Feb 2008), the rank (in terms of representation) is the following: "Left Stream" (mainstream western marxism, party center-left), "Renewing Wing" (radical socialdemocracy, party right), the "Red-green Network" (eco-marxism, party left) and the "Initiative" (eurosceptic marxism, party extreme left). Since 2004 the Left Stream, the Red-greens and the Initiative form the so-called Left Majority, which is responsible for moving the party to most radical leftist positions.

Note: the exact word used is "τάσεις" ("tendencies"), but the term platform is more accurate in English.

Representation & international alliances

Current chairman Alexis Tsipras

The party has members in the National and European Parliament. After having survived the crisis of not achieving parliamentary representation in 1993, Synaspismos has, since 1996, been the fourth party in the Greek Parliament, and the third party (in terms of representation) in local government. In the European Parliament SYN is a member of the European United Left - Nordic Green Left group, and also a member of the European Social Forum. Moreover, SYN hosted the 1st Congress of European Left (29-30 October 2005), which formulated the Athens Declaration of the European Left as the manifesto of the European Left party.

Well-known executive members of Synaspismos are: Alexis Tsipras, Alekos Alavanos, Giannis Dragasakis, Nikos Konstantopoulos, Panagiotis Lafazanis et al.

Synaspismos is closely connected with the following:

• The Athens daily newspaper ΑΥΓΗ (Dawn)
• The Athens radio station "105.5 FM - Στο Κóκκινο" (In Red).
• The "Nicos Poulantzas" Institute for Political Research
• The Archive of Modern Social History (ΑΣKI)

Structure

The structure of SYN consists of three levels:

• Local: City, village or trade union committees, responsible for everyday matters at the workplace and neighborhood level, and deciding on issues of local interest.
• Prefectural: The Prefectural Administration is elected by the members of the local committees and co-ordinates local committee work.
• Nationwide: The National Committee (or CPC: Central Political Committee) is elected by the Party Congress, held every 3 years. It exercises the central administration of the party and convenes almost every month. Major decisions are usually taken at this level.
  • The Secretariat is elected by the CPC among its members, and oversees three duties: to represent the party in media outlets and in negotiations with other parties; to prepare CPC sessions; and to co-ordinate party work at the nationwide level. Though somewhat similar to the Politbüro of old-style communist parties, its role is not nearly as dominant. Usually the members of the Secretariat are working full-time for the party.
    • The Chairperson of SYN is elected by the Congress and is a primus inter pares member of both the CPC and the Secretariat.

SYN youth

SYN Youth Logo

SYN Youth members in a 2007 SYRIZA rally

SYN's youth organisation is Neolaia SYN (Νεολαία ΣΥΝ, SYN Youth), which is autonomous from the party structure. Until the late 1990s they were called "Left Youth League" (Ένωση Aριστερών Νέων). N-SYN have their own membership and executive bodies, but in general their decisions and activity are similar to the ones of the party. Their power is noteworthy in most Student Councils all around Greece, through the DIKTYO (Δίκτυο, "Network"). N-SYN also participates in the European Network of Democratic Young Left (ENDYL).

List of SYN leadership

• SYN as electoral coalition
  • 1989-1991: chairman Charilaos Florakis, secretary Leonidas Kyrkos
  • 1991: chairwoman Maria Damanaki, secretary Fotis Kouvelis

• SYN as party
  • 1991-1993: chairwoman Maria Damanaki, no secretary
  • 1993-2004: chairman Nikos Konstantopoulos, no secretary
  • 2004-2008: chairman Alekos Alavanos, secretary Nikos Hountis
  • 2008-present: Alexis Tsipras, secretary Nikos Hountis, since July 2009 Dimitris Vitsas

External links

• Synaspismos' web site in English
• The Youth of Synaspismos
• Radio Station In Red live
• Institute Nikos Poulantzas
• ASKI archives, currently only in Greek
• Greek election results, via the Greek Ministry of Internal Affairs