Politics of Greece

Politics of Greece takes place within a parliamentary representative democratic republic, as defined by the Constitution of Greece. The President of Greece is the head of state, while executive power is vested in the Prime Minister of Greece and the Cabinet of Greece. Legislative power is exercised by the Hellenic Parliament, with the judiciary being independent of the executive and legislature, headed by the Supreme Civil and Criminal Court of Greece.

Government and institutions

The Hellenic Republic operates under the framework established by the Constitution of Greece, which was significantly revised after the fall of the Greek military junta of 1967–1974. The President of Greece, currently Katerina Sakellaropoulou, is elected by the Hellenic Parliament for a five-year term and holds largely ceremonial powers, though they formally appoint the Prime Minister of Greece. Real executive authority lies with the Prime Minister of Greece, typically the leader of the majority party in parliament, such as Kyriakos Mitsotakis of New Democracy. The Cabinet of Greece is composed of ministers who head various government departments like the Ministry of National Defence and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The unicameral Hellenic Parliament, located in the Old Royal Palace in Athens, is the supreme legislative body. The independent judiciary includes the Supreme Civil and Criminal Court of Greece, the Council of State for administrative law, and the Court of Audit.

Political parties and elections

The contemporary political landscape is dominated by two major parties: the center-right New Democracy and the center-left PASOK. Other significant forces include the left-wing SYRIZA, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), and the right-wing Greek Solution. Elections for the Hellenic Parliament are held at least every four years under a system of reinforced proportional representation, which often necessitates coalition governments. The President of Greece is elected by the parliament, requiring a supermajority. Recent pivotal elections include the 2015 Greek bailout referendum and the subsequent legislative elections that saw Alexis Tsipras and SYRIZA come to power. The influence of parties like the Panhellenic Socialist Movement has waxed and waned since the Metapolitefsi.

Foreign relations

Greece's foreign policy is heavily influenced by its membership in the European Union, which it joined in 1981, and its participation in the Eurozone and the Schengen Area. A founding member of the United Nations, Greece also participates in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), though relations were strained during the Cyprus dispute and the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. A central and often tense aspect of its foreign relations is the ongoing rivalry with Turkey, involving disputes over the Aegean Sea, Cyprus, and maritime boundaries. Greece maintains strong diplomatic ties with Cyprus, Israel, and Egypt, and has been involved in mediating conflicts in the Balkans, particularly following the Breakup of Yugoslavia. Key diplomatic figures have included Andreas Papandreou and Eleftherios Venizelos.

Political history since 1974

The modern political era, known as the Metapolitefsi, began with the collapse of the Greek military junta of 1967–1974 and the restoration of democracy. The 1974 Greek republic referendum abolished the monarchy, establishing the Hellenic Republic. The subsequent decades were defined by the rivalry between New Democracy, under Konstantinos Karamanlis, and the socialist PASOK, founded by Andreas Papandreou. The early 21st century saw Greece host the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. The period following the Great Recession was dominated by the Greek government-debt crisis, leading to international bailouts from the European Commission, the European Central Bank, and the International Monetary Fund (the Troika). This crisis brought SYRIZA and Alexis Tsipras to power, culminating in the 2015 Greek bailout referendum.

Administrative divisions

Greece is divided into thirteen administrative regions, headed by regional governors, and further subdivided into seventy-four regional units. These regions, such as Attica, Central Macedonia, and Crete, have gained significant administrative powers since the Kallikratis Plan reform of 2010. At the local level, there are 325 municipalities, including major cities like Athens, Thessaloniki, and Patras. The autonomous monastic community of Mount Athos, under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, holds a unique self-governing status guaranteed by the Constitution of Greece. The Decentralized Administrations of Greece, such as the Decentralized Administration of the Aegean, oversee state functions at a regional level.

Category:Politics of Greece