15 years of attacks on the working class and the popular strata of Greece

These days mark 15 years since the social-democratic PASOK government announced the activation of the “support mechanism” for the Greek economy by the EU and the IMF.

This was followed by three agreements (memoranda) with the EU for the “salvation” of the Greek economy, accompanied by thousands of anti-people laws at the expense of the working class and the popular strata. 

Statement of the CC of the KKE on the results of the European Elections of 9 June 2024

Statement of the CC of the KKE on the results of the European Elections of 9 June 2024

1. The Central Committee of the KKE salutes the thousands of workers, the popular forces, the youth and the women who voted for the KKE and all those who joined forces with it in this important electoral battle. In particular, it extends a warm and comradely greeting to the members and cadres of the KKE and KNE, its supporters and friends, and all its candidates, who waged a hard struggle throughout this period.

The KKE accuses Mitsotakis' government for providing white phosphorus weapons to Ukraine

The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) accused the conservative New Democracy (ND) government on Tuesday 2/4 for indirectly providing white phosphorous weapons to Ukraine. Speaking at the Parliament, KKE MP Nikos Papanastasis said: 

 

“The ND government, leading the way in supporting the NATO-US-EU military operations in Ukraine, within the war with Russia, has once again submitted for approval a new list of weaponry and ammunition for sale, in addition to the unknown huge quantities that have already been sent since the beginning of the war”.

 

Mitsotakis' anti-communist rant against the KKE

By Nikos Mottas

Today, Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis couldn't hide his disturbance for the fact that the Communist Party (KKE) leads the struggle against the monstrous bill which establishes private universities. For that reason he resorted to hideous anti-communism, unleashing slanders against the KKE.

The pretext behind Mitsotakis' rant was yesterday's speech of KKE's General Secretary Dimitris Koutsoumbas who exposed and denounced phenomena of extreme exploitation of female and male students in Nordic countries due to the commercialization of High Education. More specifically, Secretary Koutsoumbas criticized the so-called “Scandinavian model”, saying: 

The KKE votes against Mitsotakis government's anti-popular budget

The 21 MPs of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) voted against the 2024 budget proposed by the New Democracy government, which increases taxation on the popular strata in order to increase the profitability of capital. 

During the debate, the MPs of the KKE lambasted the government’s draft budget, highlighting its anti-labour and class character in favour of businessmen, and demanded increases in wages and pensions and the abolition of anti-popular taxes. 

KKE: Strike call against Mitsotakis government's new anti-labour steamroller

On Friday 15/09/23, the workers and the youth demonstrated in a mass protest in Syntagma square, determined not to allow their working and living conditions to be crushed under the iron heel of the laws of profit and exploitation.

The protest, organized by trade unions and mass organizations, turned into a call for a strike against the government’s anti-labour steamroller and into a condemnation of the recent crime against the people of Thessaly.

 

Greek Elections: Hope for the people lies in the KKE! We continue for a 100% people’s opposition

STATEMENT OF THE PB OF THE CC OF THE KKE ON THE 25 JUNE ELECTION

Hope for the people lies in the KKE!

We continue for a 100% people’s opposition

The Political Bureau of the CC of the KKE hails the thousands of people who strengthened the KKE with their vote and the people with whom we fought the battle for the Party’s electoral growth in the June election.

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.

Greek Elections: KKE or Barbarism

By Nikos Mottas.

“Only a strong KKE can strengthen the genuine 100% militant people’s opposition against the omnipotence of the policy of capital, against the New Democracy government, against the ‘opposition ministry’ of SYRIZA-PASOK and all the parties of the system. This is the only way to create cracks within this negative correlation of forces.”

The above quote from the speech of Dimitris Koutsoumbas, General Secretary of the CC of the KKE, in the large pre-election rally in Athens summarizes the whole significance of Sunday's parliamentary elections in Greece. 

D. Koutsoumbas: Only a strong KKE can strengthen the genuine 100% militant people’s opposition against the New Democracy government

Abstracts from the speech delivered by Dimitris Koutsoumbas, General Secretary of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), in the Party's massive central pre-election rally in Athens' Syntagma Square on Wednesday 21 June:

“The mass red rally of the people and youth here in Athens confirms that the positive step taken in May can now become a leap forward” stressed Dimitris Koutsoumbas. 

KKE denounces the dangerous games played by ND, SYRIZA and PASOK with the Muslim minority of Thrace

The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) denounces the dangerous games that New Democracy, SYRIZA and PASOK are playing with the Muslim minority of Thrace. All the more so at a time when serious unfavourable settlements in Greek-Turkish relations are in the pipeline, with the direct intervention of the US–NATO, which have established their presence in Thrace with the responsibility of both the New Democracy and the SYRIZA government.

The acute problems faced by the minority in Thrace have the same cause as those faced by the entire Greek people; therefore the struggle must be joint within the framework of the labour and popular movement. 

KKE is the only true opposition in Greece, says General Secretary Koutsoumbas

The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) is the only party that is "a 100% true fighting and popular opposition" party, said General Secretary Dimitris Koutsoumbas on Monday evening, addressing KKE's Attica branch event.

Expanding on the event's thematic title on "Who created miraculous tourism?", Koutsoumbas said it was due to KKE's support that workers in the tourism industry experienced first-hand the fact "that only the people save the people, defending their rights at work, securing collective labor agreements, and protecting them from employers' arbitrary exploitation."

Greek Elections 2023: No anti-popular government is omnipotent when faced with a stronger KKE

On 29/5, the GS of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), Dimitris Koutsoumbas, spoke at a meeting attended by all the KKE candidates in Attica, Party cadres and other militants who joined forces with the Party in the elections. He called for a further strengthening of the KKE in the new parliamentary elections to be held on 25 June.  

“The optimistic message of these elections —without, of course, overlooking the overall negative correlation of forces— is the significant strengthening of the KKE, which won 7.23%, 427,000 votes, and 26 MPs, taking third place in Attica again, this time achieving  double-digit percentages in the working class–popular neighborhoods and an increase in all regions nationwide”, noted the GS of the CC of KKE.

KKE: STATEMENT OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE ON THE RESULTS OF THE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS OF 21 MAY 2023

STATEMENT OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE KKE

ON THE RESULTS OF THE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS OF 21 MAY 2023

1. The CC hails the thousands of KKE and KNE members, supporters, individuals who cooperate with the Party and voters who contributed to the electoral battle of the KKE.

We especially hail those who took the step for the first time, the young people who casted their first vote in favour of our Party.

Dimitris Koutsoumbas: The KKE can be the only true opposition to ND's anti-popular government

Only the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) can be a true opposition to the anti-popular policies of the New Democracy (ND) government, KKE General Secretary Dimitris Koutsoumbas said in an interview with the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA-MPA) published on Sunday.

"There is today but one dilemma: Either you give consent to the support of the government's anti-popular policies or you support the only true opposition from the point of view of working-class, popular interests," the General Secretary said, urging voters to further strengthen KKE in the upcoming elections on June 25.

KKE's strengthening in Greek parliamentary elections with 7.23%, 425,000 votes and 26 MPs is a positive step within a negative correlation of forces

With 99.7% of the votes counted in the elections of 21 May 2023, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) made a significant 2% increase, getting 7.23%, 425,795 votes (+126,000) and 26 MPs (+11 MPs).

The right-wing party of New Democracy (40.79%) prevailed in the elections, while the parties of the new social democracy, that is SYRIZA (20.07%) and MeRA25 (2.62%), which did not cross the 3% threshold, recorded a significant decline. The oldest party of social democracy, PASOK (11.46%), was strengthened, while the nationalist party Hellenic Solution (4.45%) was reelected. You can find the detailed results here: https://inter.kke.gr/en/articles/Significant-rise-of-the-KKE-a-hopeful-message-for-the-people/

KKE gains more than 7% in parliamentary elections, almost doubles its MPs in Parliament - #greekelections

The parliamentary elections of May 21 sent a very hopeful message for Greece's working class, as the Communist Party (KKE) came out significantly strengthened, by gaining 40% more voters in relation to 2019 elections.

More specifically, the KKE gains 7.23% (from 5.3% in 2019) and 425,646 votes.  

The Party also increases its MPs, from 15 to 26.  

The results:

Dimitris Koutsoumbas: The KKE keeps its arms open to progressive people, leftists who refuse to compromise

The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) "keeps its arms open to progressive people, leftists who refuse to compromise" with the systemic 'swamp', Party Secretary General Dimitris Koutsoumbas told "Efimerida ton Syntakton" (Efsyn) newspaper in an interview published on Saturday.

Referring to the May 21 parliamentary elections, he said that "there are many responding to our invitation, and many honest people who have joined our ballots, former deputies, Eurodeputies, and officials and members of SYRIZA, ANTARSYA and LAE," naming the main opposition party and other leftist parties.

The KKE will not take part in anti-popular government, says Party Secretary Koutsoumbas

"The KKE won't participate in any anti-popular government", clarifies the Party's leader ahead of the Greek Parliamentary Elections of 21 May 2023. 

 

Excerpts from the interview of Dimitris Koutsoumbas, General Secretary of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), to "Proto Thema" newspaper:

What does the term “left” mean today?

The truth is that it is a term that has been abused by many people over time, both in Greece and internationally.

KKE: Resolution of the Central Committee on the political developments and the upcoming elections

Resolution by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) on the political developments and the upcoming electoral battle:

1. The Central Committee of the KKE met and agreed on the Party’s programme of action for the following period, based on the political and economic developments and with a view to the upcoming battle of the parliamentary elections.

It approved the main body of the Party’s candidates in the parliamentary, regional and municipal elections and elaborated key issues concerning the content of the political call in view of the election battles.