Greece: Communist-backed 'Panspoudastiki' retains 2nd position in student elections

PANSPOUDASTIKI is once again the second force in the universities (AEI) with 21,43 %and 9.516 votes and a powerful force in the Technological Educational Institutions (TEI) with 19,52 % and 2.800 votes.

The forces of PANSPOUDASTIKI, with new forces in the student unions, with thousands of votes nationwide and with determination, will continue to be in the frontline of the efforts to regroup the student movement, the day after the student elections, which took place in the majority of student unions on 16th of May 2018.

This year as well the student grouping that is supported by SYRIZA , "BLOKO", received a very low vote, 424 votes, 0.95% in the universities (AEI) and 142 votes 0,99% in the Technological Educational Institutions (TEI).

Communist Youth Organizations denounce Greek government's repression and violence against protesting anti-war students

Message of solidarity by Communist Youth Organizations from all over the world, condemning the recent orgy of violence and repression by the Greek authorities against protesting anti-war, anti-imperialist students:

We denounce the violence, repression and the arrests of university students during the antiwar – anti-imperialist demonstration in Athens on April 16th.

We denounce the Greek government of SYRIZA-ANEL for the orgy of violence and repression launched against the high school and university students that were demonstrating against the new imperialist crime in Syria. The pretext for this barbaric attack against the protestors was their effort to symbolically demolish the statue of Harry Truman.

U.S imperialism's best partner: SYRIZA government orders riot police to violently attack anti-war demonstrators in Athens

Once again, the government of SYRIZA has shown its true face as a partner of the U.S.-NATO imperialism. This time, riot police violently attacked protesters (mainly students) who were demonstrating in the center of Athens against the imperialist attack in Syria. 

When protesters attempted to pull down the 3.5-meter statue of war criminal U.S. President Harry Truman, police forces fired tear gas and flash grenades, beating them with bats. 

The All-Workers Militant Front (PAME) expressed outrage for the incident, denouncing the assault on the anti-imperialist youth mobilisation:

Greek and Turkish workers united against imperialism: PAME expresses solidarity to Turkey's working class

In a statement, the All-Workers Militant Front (PAME) expresses the solidarity and support of the class trade-unionist movement in Greece towards the Turkish working class and youth in their struggle against imperialism and authoritarianism. 

More specifically, the statement of PAME writes:

"The class movement of Greece denounces the intensified repression with attacks and imprisonments of young militants, students who mobilize against the imperialist interventions and wars. We especially denounce the arrest of 22 students at Istanbul University who were campaigning against NATO and we demand the immediate withdrawal of all accusations against them. 

SYRIZA "democracy": Greek police fires tear gas against rallying students and teachers

Once again, Greek riot police responded with chemicals and flashbang grenades against demonstrators in the center of Athens. 

This time, police forces tried to disperse the rallying teachers and students by using violence and tear gas, once the demonstration arrived in the police blockade, a few metres away from the Prime Minister's office. 

Thousands teachers of primary and secondary education, as well as students, rallied in the Greek capital demanding their vested labor rights. The demonstrators marched peacefully throughout downtown Athens, while the government had deployed heavy police forces close to PM's Maximos Mansion. 

Greek police fired tear gas to demonstrators during Tsipras' speech in Thessaloniki

How did the government of SYRIZA respond to the thousands of workers, farmers, trade unions' members organized with PAME, students and other people who demonstrated against its antipeople-antiworkers policies in Thessaloniki? By ordering riot police to fire tear gas to protesters who wanted to express their disagreement with the "development fiestas" of Mr.Tsipras and his government!

More specifically, when the trade union's rally arrived at the area of the venue where the Prime Minister would deliver a speech, met strong police forces who had blocked the street. 

Communist-backed 'Panspoudastiki' gains second place in Greece's student elections

“Panspoudastiki KS”, the communist-backed university students party- emerges again at a national level as the second force in the Universities and the Technological Institutes. The result confirms that there is a very important mass of students that place their trust in the positions and activity of the Communist Youth of Greece (KNE).

Thousands of students supported the lists of “Panspoudastiki KS” (PKS) in the student union elections held on the 24th of May. They struggled alongside the members of KNE in order to shape the positive result of the student union elections.

“Panspoudastiki KS” increased its actual votes and percentage in the Universities, receiving 24.48% (in 114 from 199 Schools). The lists of DAP (of the conservative party New Democracy) gain the majority of votes (37.89%), while PASP (of the social-democratic party PASOK) and EAAK (ultra-left ANTARSYA) saw a reduction in their actual votes in the universities. The government-oriented  list BLOKO of the new social-democratic party SYRIZA has decreased dramatically, reaching 0.50%.

In the Technological Institutes “Panspoudastiki KS” received 25.81% (in 37 from 66 Schools) being in the third place.

In a statement, the General Secretary of the CC of KNE Nikos Abatielos points out the fact that "Panspoudastiki KS" remains a "militant force", remaing the second force in the University student elections. "The KKE and KNE will continue our efforts to strengthen the line of counterattack, against the antipeople policy of governments-EU-capital which crashes the studies and life of thousands of students" said Abatielos, adding that "the KKE and KNE will be in the front line of the struggle".

* While this post was written, the counting of the votes was still in progress. You can check out the results by clicking here (in Greek).

UPDATE (25.5.2017, 1:06 pm).

"Panspoudastiki" has received 20.69% (in 185 from 199 Uni. Schools) in Universities remaining second force. In Technological Institutes "Panspoudastiki" has 20.70% being the third force after DAP and PASP.

Communist-affiliated 'Panspoudastiki' gains second place in Greece's student union elections

Thousands of students supported the lists of “Panspoudastiki KS” (PKS) in the student union elections held on the 18^th of May. They struggled alongside the members of KNE (Communist Youth of Greece) in order to shape a positive result of the student union elections. For third consecutive year, "Panspoudastiki" emerges at a national level as the second force in Greece's Universities and Technological Institutes. With more than 20% of the votes, "Panspoudastiki" confirmed it's significant role in the student movement.

According to the results (in 191 from 199 University Schools), "Panspoudastiki" gains 20.46% (10,042 votes). 

DAP-NDFK (of the conservative New Democracy Party) gains 30.27%, PASP (of the social-democratic PASOK) gains 10.76%, EAAK (Ultra-left affiliated with Antarsya Party) receives 8.46% while the SYRIZA-supported "Bloko" faces an electoral disaster with only 0.94%. Other powers of the left (supported by 'Popular Unity' Party) gains 7.43%.