European Spring (political movement)

European Spring (political movement). European Spring (Ευρωπαϊκή Άνοιξη) was a Greek political party founded in 2018 as the electoral wing in Greece of the transnational Democracy in Europe Movement 2025 (DiEM25). It was launched by former Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis with the aim of contesting national and European Parliament elections on a platform of radical democratic reform, transparency, and a pan-European New Deal. The party sought to build a coalition across the European Union to fundamentally reshape its institutions, but it was officially dissolved in 2023 after limited electoral success.

History and formation

European Spring was officially presented in Athens in March 2018, emerging from the foundational work of DiEM25, which was co-founded by Yanis Varoufakis in 2016. The launch event was held at the City of Athens Arts Complex and positioned the movement as a direct challenge to the prevailing austerity policies enforced by the European Commission, the European Central Bank, and the International Monetary Fund during the Greek government-debt crisis. Its formation was timed to contest the 2019 European Parliament election in Greece and the subsequent 2019 Greek legislative election. The party's creation was influenced by the political climate following the Syriza government's acceptance of the third bailout memorandum in 2015, which Varoufakis had opposed. Key early organizing efforts involved collaborations with other DiEM25 chapters across Europe, including in Italy, Germany, and France.

Political platform and ideology

The ideology of European Spring was rooted in the DiEM25 agenda, advocating for progressive internationalism, democratic socialism, and a form of Eurofederalism based on full transparency and citizen participation. Its central policy document, the "European New Deal," proposed a comprehensive overhaul of EU institutions to combat inequality and the climate crisis. Key proposals included the democratization of the European Central Bank, the establishment of a Green New Deal for Europe, the implementation of a Universal Basic Dividend, and radical reform of the Common Agricultural Policy. The platform was staunchly critical of the Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance and advocated for a constituent assembly to draft a new, democratic European Constitution. It positioned itself against both the neoliberalism of centrist parties and the nationalism of the far-right.

Electoral performance and representation

European Spring first contested the 2019 European Parliament election in Greece, where it received 2.99% of the vote, failing to cross the 3% threshold needed to win a seat in the European Parliament. Later that year, in the July 2019 Greek legislative election, it ran in a coalition with the small ecological party Prasinoi (The Greens), securing 1.52% of the popular vote and again winning no seats in the Hellenic Parliament. Its best electoral result came in the 2019 Greek local elections, where its candidate for the Municipality of Athens, Giorgos Kaminis, a former independent mayor, performed respectably but did not win. The party did not contest the 2023 Greek legislative elections, having ceased active campaigning prior to its formal dissolution.

Leadership and notable figures

The movement was led and founded by economist and former Syriza minister Yanis Varoufakis, who served as its primary spokesperson and candidate for the European Parliament. Other notable figures included Euclid Tsakalotos, another former Minister of Finance (Greece) under Syriza, who was a prominent early supporter. The party's electoral ticket featured candidates like academic and activist Srećko Horvat, a co-founder of DiEM25 from Croatia, and Achilleas Demetriades, a noted Cypriot human rights lawyer. Key organizational roles were held by members of the DiEM25 Coordinating Collective, such as Michele Fiorillo from Italy and Julijana Zita from Germany.

Relationship to other political movements

European Spring was the official Greek electoral wing of the pan-European Democracy in Europe Movement 2025 (DiEM25), and its activities were closely coordinated with the movement's other national collectives. It sought alliances with other left-wing and green forces across Europe, engaging in discussions with parties like Die Linke in Germany, La France Insoumise in France, and Bloco de Esquerda in Portugal. Within Greece, it positioned itself as a radical alternative to the ruling New Democracy and the main opposition Syriza, from which many of its founders had defected. It also explicitly rejected collaboration with nationalist or far-right parties such as Golden Dawn or Greek Solution.

Category:Political parties in Greece Category:Defunct political parties in Greece Category:2018 establishments in Greece Category:2023 disestablishments in Greece