Politics
For a period of about 40 years, Greece had a series of single-party governments; historically, Greece has had few coalitions among political parties until recently. Generally, there is little cooperation among political parties on the national level. The three main political groups are the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK, a center-left party), Syriza (a radical left coalition), and New Democracy (a center-right party). Extremist right-wing parties, such as Golden Dawn, have become more popular since the economic downturn. Smaller parties have legislative representation and sometimes can have a significant impact on political events.
Major political issues include debt, austerity measures, unemployment, and illegal immigration. Many consider Greece's debt levels to be unsustainable, though austerity measures enacted to pay back the debt are also highly controversial. High levels of immigration are widely viewed as a burden on Greece's society and economy. Operation Xenios Zeus allows Greek police to enact sweep operations that target anyone suspected of not having citizenship, enabling the widespread detention of immigrants. Limited numbers of immigrants may apply for citizenship or asylum (which would allow for free movement within much of Europe) but often are not given much information on their application status while in detainment camps.
Major political issues include debt, austerity measures, unemployment, and illegal immigration. Many consider Greece's debt levels to be unsustainable, though austerity measures enacted to pay back the debt are also highly controversial. High levels of immigration are widely viewed as a burden on Greece's society and economy. Operation Xenios Zeus allows Greek police to enact sweep operations that target anyone suspected of not having citizenship, enabling the widespread detention of immigrants. Limited numbers of immigrants may apply for citizenship or asylum (which would allow for free movement within much of Europe) but often are not given much information on their application status while in detainment camps.