Thread by @G_Katsambekis

I don't do this often so please bear with me. Here's a thread about the alarming developments in #Greece & #New_Democracy's hard-right/#authoritarian turn.👇This photo by D. Tosidis (credit: EPA-EFE; Source:
ANA-MPA) can act as an intro to the thread. 0/ webgate.epa.eu/webgate?EVENT=…

So, is #New_Democracy govt driving #Greece towards democratic backsliding? Today after we witnessed yesterday's disgraceful images of #police brutally attacking & arresting protesting students inside the country’s biggest university is a sadly fitting day to pose the question. 1/

If we take #Hungary & #Poland as exemplary cases in the literature & as points of comparison, the answer is likely to be yes. The most common symptoms of democratic backsliding mentioned by scholars seem to be manifesting in #Greece since July 2019 with disturbing consistency. 2/

Symptom 1: Overpowering the #executive. Exactly what #Mitsotakis did when he assumed office by creating the ‘Presidency of Government’ & transferring the control of key agencies (Intelligence; Public Broadcasting; Secretariat for Media/ Communication) under the PM’s office. 3/

Symptom 2: Undermining rights. #Mitsotakis govt has adopted an openly #anti-immigrant stance exemplified by the portrayal of immigrants as ‘invaders,’ ‘infectious,’ in policies such as depriving them of right to health & in #pushbacks in the #Aegean (as reported by Spiegel). 4/

Symptom 3: Authoritarian law & order agenda. Since assuming office, #Mitsotakis govt has hired an unprecedented number of #police officers outside standard channels & with very little training (so called ‘Special Guards’) & tolerated an alarming increase in police brutality. 5/

Its latest such policy was a law establishing permanent #police presence within #university campuses, coupled with a smearing campaign against Greek public universities, which the govt considers as fostering left-wing/progressive ideas & groups. 6/

When defending the bill in parliament #Mitsotakis stated that it was not the police entering university campuses, but ‘the cool breeze of democracy’ (!) identifying #democracy with the #police in a truly chilling metaphor. The bill passed with extra votes from the #far_right. 7/

Symptom 4: Tight control over the #media & #public_sphere. The #Mitsotakis govt has established alarmingly close relations with known media moguls & major media outlets, which has led to an unprecedented suppression of pluralism of information/opinion in the media. 8/

It has used public #funds to support government-friendly media outlets, while excluding/undermining critical media. At the same time, it has established tight control over the Public Broadcaster & state media, leading, overall, to an almost monophonic public sphere. 9/

Symptom 5: Demonizing/suppressing the #opposition. The #Mitsotakis govt has consistently used a sharply #polarizing discourse against main opposition party, SYRIZA, and the left in general, with pro-government media often advancing #smearing campaigns based on misinformation. 10/

In a recent cabinet reshuffle #Mitsotakis appointed as Minister for Interior M. #Voridis a known figure of the #far_right, who stated in 2018 that #Mitsotakis should make institutional changes to the state to ensure that the Left does not rise to power again in the future. 11/

To further emphasize the above: Instead of being marginalised by the PM for such an #authoritarian & #illiberal statement, Voridis was put in a position where he can actually take #policy_initiatives & legislate to make good on that dystopian promise. 12/

Symptom 6: Advancing an ultra-conservative cultural agenda. The #Mitsotakis govt includes ministers who have expressed in the past #anti_immigrant, #xenophobic, #homophobic & even #anti_Semitic views & have advanced an ultra-conservative agenda in #education & #culture. 13/

This can go on forever & I'm sure I'm missing many other aspects of this #authoritarian turn. There's depressingly little relevant discussion among academics & pundits, so hoping to raise some awareness beyond Greece about these developments. Please feel free to add/discuss. END/

@CasMudde the above thread could be of interest & relevant to the interesting posts you made lately. Based on this I'd suggest that #New_Democracy in Greece is actually to the right of the UK #Conservatives & not the other way around as you seemed to suggest. Welcome to discuss!