New Left Current
The local elections held in Greece on the 8th of October were largely marked by the low of level of people’s interest and a high level of abstention. In large municipalities, such as Athens, the turnout rate was just over 31%. To the extent that this reflects general political attitudes, while the disastrous government policy is unfolding, it underlines the lack of strong opposition, reinforcing tendencies towards becoming passive and inactive.
The Anti-capitalist Left have given a great battle in regions and municipalities in particularly difficult conditions, just a few months after the double parliamentary elections and the negative balance of power they reflected. Among other things, the candidates of the Anti-capitalist Left had to face the unbearable financial cost and expenses, the exclusion from the mainstream media and the undemocratic 3% threshold introduced for local elections by the government in order to exclude “annoying voices” from the municipal and regional councils.
In this context, the general negative balance of power was expressed with right-wing, pro-government and extreme reactionary candidates dominating in most cases. However, small defeats for the political establishment were recorded with a significant rise of left-wing anti-capitalist coalitions, while KKE (Communist Party of Greece) recorded important gains across Greece. The significant decline of SYRIZA’s political influence continued in these elections.
The regional coalitions of the anti-capitalist left supported by NAR, ANTARSYA and other left forces and independent militants recorded an increase in almost all cases, delivering a promising message, encouraging them to continue their action and intervention. Despite this increase, they did not manage to elect councilors because of the anti-democratic law.
The result in Attica region, the largest area in Greece, stands out, where the ‘Anti-capitalist Revolt in Attica’ received 2.02% (from 1.77% in 2019). The anti-capitalist coalition in Thessaly region, which was devastated by the recent floods, received 2.25% in Crete 2.45%. Nationwide the Anti-capitalist Left received an average 2% at regional elections.
In the municipalities there were also notable results of the Anti-capitalist Left. The result in the municipality of Athens undoubtedly stands out, where the ‘Revolt Alliance for Athens’ got 6.09% and elected two councilors. In the municipality of Thessaloniki, the left-wing alliance received 5.52% and is represented in the new city council.
In 10 working-class areas of Athens and Thessaloniki the Anti-capitalist Left elects also councilors with remarkable results. In Athens metropolitan area, the Anti-capitalist Left alliances received 9.79% in the municipality of Maroussi, 5.7% in Peristeri, 4.65% in Nea Smyrni. In Thessaloniki metropolitan area, they received 9.04% in Sykies/Neapolis and 4.3% in Ampelokipi/Menemeni.
KKE, following the recent increase it recorded in the national elections, achieved a significant improvement of its position, representing tendencies of leftist protest, although politically unable to move towards a strategy of overturning the policies of capital and the EU at the local and national level. For instance, the municipality of Patras (third largest Greek city), which is controlled by KKE, uses EU-funded flexible and low-cost working contracts for the municipal employees.
In these local elections, the far-right has in fact supported New Democracy and its factions, as well as the business lobbies in municipalities and regions, revealing once again that it is a useful tool supporting the system. In the Municipality of Athens, the neo-Nazi Kasidiaris recorded a much worse result that the one in 2019, despite his promotion by the media and the establishment.
Overall, the result for the Anti-capitalist Left was positive by intervening against business interests, against the totalitarianism of the state, the EU and government policy, and by exposing the role of the fascists. A left independent of bourgeois politics, grounded with the local movements, has achieved a promising election result. NAR, ANTARSYA and the broader revolutionary left contributed crucially to this success. The results highlight the potential for the coalescence of forces with a clear radical and anti-capitalist political stigma and can contribute to a similar perspective in the coming battles. They highlight the important presence of a social and political current of disobedience and militant resistance to the dominant policies of capital, government and the EU at the national and local level. They underline the urgent need for an independent anti-capitalist communist left, which will frame a perspective to break with bourgeois politics.
We are in the midst of a fierce attack against the working class. Poverty, alongside the EU “stability programs”, are here. The threat of war is coming closer and closer to our neighbourhood. The anti-capitalist and radical left, the labour movement and the struggling youth must prepare for battle. Our political intervention continues seeking the direct organization of struggles on all fronts.
