Highlights
– Riots sweep across Greece for several days
– Damages estimated to cost more than one billion dollars
– Massive job cuts expected in the coming months, unrest likely to continue in the near to mid-term
An unprecedented rebellion by thousands of self-styled anarchists, students, and protesters has spread across Greece since the wrongful death of a teenager by an Athens police officer on December 6, 2008. Anarchists and demonstrators have damaged hundreds of shops and banks in a dozen cities across Greece, subsequently causing many shop owners to shut down business for several days. Protesters have set ablaze vehicles, trash bins, and dozens of makeshift barricades all over Athens. More than 70 people have suffered serious injuries and more than 400 people have been arrested. Thus far, authorities have estimated that the destruction has caused businesses in Athens alone US$265.3 million (Source). The overall destruction of hundreds of businesses nationwide is anticipated to cost at least US$1.3 billion (Source).
The protests have emerged as a rallying call for the far left against the increasingly unpopular conservative government. The opposition Socialist Party has also called for snap elections and Greece’s prime minister, Costas Karamanlis, to step down for the government’s mishandling of the crisis. However, the prime minister recently disputed claims that the government would hold early elections.
• Currently, the conservative government only holds a one-seat majority in parliament and public support for the government has dropped to a dismal 20 percent approval rating in recent polling (Source).
Although the violence has largely subsided in the past few days, it is likely that activists will continue to mobilize large crowds in ongoing demonstrations in the near-term. Additional disruptions are anticipated in Athens and cities across the country as various demonstrations have been planned throughout the week.
Under Pressure
The riots have provided an outlet for leftist groups and youths to demonstrate their discontent over issues such as the poor economy, a substandard education system and a series of political corruption scandals. Moreover, the Greek economy is projected to lose up to 100,000 jobs in the coming months, another event that could spark further unrest. Currently, the unemployment rate for the 15-24 age group, a significant portion of the demonstrators, was at 19 percent in August 2008, the highest among all age groups (Source).
Public discontent is also becoming increasingly evident in new polls. A poll of 520 people published by the Kathimerini newspaper found that 60 percent agreed the riots represented a “popular uprising” rather than a series of coordinated attacks by small groups of anarchists. Additionally, 64 percent believed police were unprepared for the violence (Source). Another poll by the left-wing Ethnos newspaper found that 83 percent of Greeks were unhappy with the response to the violence (Source).
Reaction Across Europe
Several days after protests erupted in Greece, sympathy protests spread in major cities across Europe. While the protests in other countries remained much smaller in scope, several were violent. In Spain, youths smashed store and bank windows and fought with police. In Denmark, a group of 150 anarchists took to the streets, damaging public property and fighting police. In France, cars were set ablaze outside a consulate and outside the Greek Embassy in Rome and Moscow, protesters threw Molotov cocktails at Greece’s embassies.
Although violent, these protests will not likely last as they lack the persistence and personal connection to the December 6 killing and the Greek political environment. However, as Europe struggles to weather the global economic downturn, the Greek left’s ability to mobilize thousands of dissatisfied youths represents a real concern for European leaders.
Outlook
The government’s failure to protect the country’s businesses could come back to haunt Karamanlis. The New Democracy Party currently draws major support from the country’s family-owned business owners, many of whom are outraged at the lack of protection for their stores. In response, Karamanlis has promised storeowners affected by the riots handouts of US$12,800 to cover the cost of repairs. Nevertheless, continued rioting and looting of stores will continue to lower Karamanlis’s approval rating among the small business-owning constituency.
Although Karamanlis’s New Democracy Party holds onto power by one seat in the 300-seat parliament, snap elections do not appear likely in the near-term. However, as thousands of Greeks are likely to lose jobs in the coming months, heightened political discontent coupled with unwavering rioting may force the conservative government to hold early elections in the mid-term.
