Socialism in Greece

While New Democracy was still in opposition, certain media-savvy politicians helped dismantle the SYRIZA government. Their efforts were later rewarded at the ballot box.

What happens when political parties have diverging views on the rules that govern the operation of the country's Parliament? And how should these differences be resolved, if not by the majority principle?

A draft bill aimed at granting Greeks living abroad full voting rights was on Friday sent to political parties with the aim of a vote being held in Parliament by the end of the month.
Leftist SYRIZA has expressed reservations about the legislation - as has the Communist Party to a lesser extent - while indicating that some amendments should resolve the problem.

Greece's Education Ministry on Thursday ordered the immediate suspension of plans to open 37 new university and technical college departments that had been announced by the previous leftist administration prior to the summer's election period, speaking of an ill-designed and opportunistic reform.

The special parliamentary committee tasked with probing the judicial handling of the Novartis affair cancelled its session on Thursday after two opposition MPs who had been barred from the panel turned up.

The leader of the main opposition Alexis Tsipras said on Monday he will not replace the two SYRIZA lawmakers who were removed from a parliamentary panel probing alleged meddling by former alternate justice minister Dimitris Papangelopoulos in the Novartis investigation.

Greek MPs have approved a government bill aimed at easing pressure on the Aegean islands by speeding up asylum procedures and returns of migrants not meriting international protection to Turkey.
The bill was backed by MPs from New Democracy and the center-left Movement for Change alliance. SYRIZA, the Greek Communist Party (KKE), Greek Solution and Mera25 voted against.

Leftist opposition leader Alexis Tsipras on Thursday accused the conservative administration of "making a mess" of the immigration crisis, while also saying that Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis indulged in far-right populism on the issue before coming to power.

MPs were poised on Thursrday to approve the government's growth bill, which aims to lift obstacles to investment amid protests by workers who fear that the reforms will undermine labor rights.

The vote took place following a tense debate in the House during which opposition leaders took turns in condemning the legislation while a succession of ministers sought to defend it.

The government believes it will secure the backing of 200 MPs for its initiative to grant full voting rights to diaspora Greeks, sources indicated after the first session on Wednesday of a cross-party committee discussing the proposal.