The Greek parliamentary election in January resulted in a coalition government with the radical left-wing party Syriza obtaining the most votes. What does this new constellation mean for Greece’s EU relations and the ongoing negotiations over the financial assistance to the country? In this paper, Dionyssis Dimitrakopoulos describes the changes to the political landscape and its implications for the country’s role in the EU and the eurozone.

The Greek general election of 6 May 2012 resulted in strong electoral support for political parties other than those traditionally in power. It confirmed a widespread discontent with the austerity policies, but still a majority of the voters expressed a desire to remain a member of the Eurozone.