Greek Elections 2023: KKE's significant rise with 7.7% and more than 400,000 votes sends hopeful message

Despite the negative correlation of forces, the parliamentary elections of June 25 in Greece sent a very hopeful message for the workers and popular strata, as the Communist Party (KKE) came out significantly strengthened, by 7.7% (from 5.3% in 2019) and more than 400,000 votes.

The Party also increases its MPs, from 15 to 20.  

The conservative party of New Democracy (40.55%) prevailed in the elections, while the party of the new social democracy, SYRIZA (17.84%), recorded an important decline and a major defeat. The old force of social democracy, PASOK (11.85%), was strengthened, while the nationalist party Hellenic Solution (4.44%) was reelected.

A negative aspect of the results is the comeback of fascist groups in the Parliament, namely the far-right party called Spartiates (4.64%) which is openly supported by jailed neo-Nazi, former Golden Dawn member, Ilias Kasidiaris. 

Two new parties that enter the Parliament are the ultra-conservative Niki (3.69%) and social democratic Plefsi (3.17%). Yanis Varoufakis' MeRA25 was left out of the Parliament, receiving less than 3%.

The results:

KKE  7.69%

New Democracy (ND) 40.55%

SYRIZA 17.84%

PASOK 11.85%

Spartiates 4.64%

Hellenic Solution 4.44%

Niki 3.69%

Plefsi 3.17%

The votes to the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) will prove to be more than circumstantial, General Secretary Dimitris Koutsoumbas said on Sunday night after the election results gave his party 7.67% of the vote and 20 seats in Parliament.

"The deputies chosen by KKE will be at the forefront of struggles the day after, where they promised they would be, at labor and popular issues, standing by workers, popular forces, and youth," Koutsoumbas said.

"The day after will be tough for the Greek people," the Communist Party leader said, and KKE would be at the rampants to fight by the people as opposition. "The Greek people must not wait, must not award a grace period, especially a large segment of the working class who voted for ND with a heavy heart," he said.

Koutsoumbas listed the challenges the people would face in the economy and politics, and mentioned the rise of extreme right and fascist forces that gained seats in Parliament. "It proves that fascism and neo-Nazism, because of their  nature, cannot be dealt with substantially through some legislative interventions," but KKE would continue to fight against them, along with the working-class movement, as it has done so far.

IN DEFENSE OF COMMUNISM ©