Abstract

Two new political formations in Greece, the Coalition of the Left and Progress (SYN) and Political Spring (PS), emerged during the late 1980s and early 1990s, respectively. These are the only new parties so far that have succeeded in making a significant contribution to Greek politics. They dealt a blow to Greece's post-1974 bi-partyism not only in terms of electoral politics but also by helping to promote modernization across the entire party system. For the first time in Greek politics, a "minor" party, Political Spring, took the lead in securing the election of a president of the republic widely respected and supported by the vast majority of the electorate. And SYN managed to set an example as perhaps the most internally democratic party of post-1974 Greece and went so far as to address hot-albeit taboo-political issues such as ethnic minority cultures and the democratization of the judiciary and the military.

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