Niki (Greek political party)
Democratic Patriotic Movement “Niki” Δημοκρατικό Πατριωτικό Κίνημα “Νίκη” | |
---|---|
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Abbreviation | NIKI (Victory) |
Leader | Dimitris Natsios |
Founder | Dimitris Natsios |
Founded | 17 June 2019 |
Headquarters | Thessaloniki |
Youth wing | NIKI Youth[1] |
Ideology | |
Political position | Far-right[14] |
Religion | Greek Orthodox Church |
Colours | Ochre Light blue |
Hellenic Parliament | 10 / 300 |
European Parliament | 1 / 21 |
Website | |
nikh | |
The Democratic Patriotic Movement “Niki" (Greek: Δημοκρατικό Πατριωτικό Κίνημα “Νίκη”, romanized: Dimokratikó Patriotikó Kínima “Níki”),[15] often shortened to simply Niki (Victory), is a far-right political party in Greece. It was founded by educator Dimitris Natsios in 2019.[16] In the parliamentary elections of June 2023, the party received a percentage of 3.70%, electing 10 deputies to the Hellenic Parliament in which today, it forms the 7th Parliamentary Group.[17]
Its main programmatic positions are defined as the triptych "Faith, Homeland, Family"[18][19], the radical restructuring and improvement of education, the change of the regime for the acquisition of Greek citizenship by immigrants and refugees, the adoption of measures to solve the demographic problem, such as supporting large families and the traditional family.[20][21]The party is regarded as supportive of the Greek Orthodox Church.[22]
History
The party was founded by the public education teacher and theologian Dimitris Natsios on 17 June 2019 in Thessaloniki, after the signing of the Prespa Agreement and one month before the 2019 parliamentary elections, in which he did not participate.[23] He emerged in the polls shortly before the May 2023 elections.[24][25] In the elections of June 2023, it collected 192,154 votes, i.e. 3.7% and entered the Greek Parliament with 10 seats.[26] He gathered the largest percentages in Northern Greece and specifically in Macedonia.[27]
In the European elections of June 2024 it gathered a percentage of 4.42% and elected an MEP, Nikos Anadiotis, to the European Parliament. It formed the 6th Parliamentary Group of Greece in the European Parliament.[28]
Niki is said to receive support from the monasteries of Mount Athos and Christian Orthodox brotherhoods,[29][30] however the Philotheou Monastery and the Karakallos Monastery publicly denied the reports.[31][32] Archbishop Hieronymos expressed his opposition to the instrumentalization of faith,[33] and Metropolitan Anthimos of Alexandroupolis referred to the intervention of ecclesiastical circles in favor of parties.[34]
Ideology and positions
Niki has been described as a party that belongs to the far-right with ultra-Orthodox beliefs and have been described as "ultra-religious"[35][36][37][38]and as religious-nationalist.[38] It is often described as conservative with faith, homeland and family as the main axes,[39] however the party president denies the left-right political arc stating that they do not identify with the right, the left or the centre.[40][41] According to the party's manifesto, former politicians, government officials and freemasons are not accepted as party members[25] due to alleged corruption among these groups. The party also demands politicians who have participated in governments that are accused of wasting public money and increasing the public debt to be held accountable in justice, as well as to limit their right to re-election.[42]
The party often refers to characteristics of the Greek nation which it promotes such as language, history and tradition,[43] while it places special emphasis on education, criticizing certain content of school books and prejudicing the writing of new ones.[44][25] It opposes sex education in schools and abortion.[37] The party is against LGBT adoption and marriage.[45] It states its opposition to mandatory medical procedures, such as the vaccination during Covid-19 and questions the safety of these vaccines.[46] [47] The party has endorsed vaccine hesitant views during the COVID-19 pandemic.[46][48][49]
In matters of foreign policy, the party completely rejects the Prespa Agreement.[50] It maintains a neutral attitude towards third countries, believing that the Byzantine imperial heritage, the Orthodox unifying character, can feed an international focus of stability and balance in the Balkan Peninsula.[51] It disagrees with Greece's support for Ukraine regarding Russia's invasion, instead preferring neutrality.[52] The party has been referred to as "pro-Russia".[38] Regarding Greece's relations with Turkey the party takes a hardline approach to their disputes.[vague][46] During the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, the party called for peace between the two sides and for the Greek government to advocate for the protection of Orthodox Christians affected by the conflict.[53]
Party structure
The party is run by two bodies. According to the statute, the main body is the Vouleftirion b (Βουλευτήριον): a seven-member body that ensures the smooth running of the party in accordance with its statutory principles. Members of the Vouleftirion are not subject to the control of the other organs, do not officially represent the party, cannot stand as candidates in elections of any kind and are not paid for their work.[54] Many consider it to function as a conclave of a select few who are not accountable to anyone (it is not known who constitutes the "Vouleftirion", unlike the "Omaikhmia" whose members are known) along the lines of the secret organization of the Filiki Eteria where it was run by an "Invisible Authority.[55] Τhe opacity of the functioning of the body was commented during the June 2023 elections when the "Vouleftirion" decided to replace the candidates chosen by the voters in the May elections with others of its own choice.[56] [57]
The second organ is the Omaichmiaa or Homaichmía (Ομαιχμία or ὁμοαιχμία) : aν 28-member body that represents publicly the views and positions of the party. The "mouth" of Omaichmia is the President of the party. Its members are checked on their integrity, honesty, patriotism and religiosity before appointed.[58]
Political analyst Giorgos Karabelias [el] described the party structure as "an organisational model of a mystical character - the community of believers - which when transferred to society (the papal state in the past, Islamism today) gives rise to totalitarian monstrosities.[59]
Notes
^a Omaichmia is an ancient greek word means union for battle, defensive alliance, league. [60]
Election results
Hellenic Parliament
Election | Hellenic Parliament | Rank | Government | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Votes | % | ±pp | Seats won | ||||
May 2023 | 172,208 | 2.92% | New | 0 / 300
|
New | 6th | Extra-parliamentary |
Jun 2023 | 192,239 | 3.69% | +0.77 | 10 / 300
|
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7th | Opposition |
European Parliament
Election | European Parliament | Rank | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Votes | % | ±pp | Seats won | |||
2024 | 174,574 | 4.4% | New | 1 / 21
|
![]() |
6th |
Notes
^a Omaichmia is an ancient greek word means union for battle, defensive alliance, league. [60]
References
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- ^ "Το ακροδεξιό, ομοφοβικό και "ψεκασμένο" αφήγημα του κόμματος "Νίκη"". ΤΑ ΝΕΑ. May 23, 2023.
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- ^ "Αποτελέσματα εκλογών 2023 | Η ΝΑΥΤΕΜΠΟΡΙΚΗ". www.naftemporiki.gr (in Greek). 2023-05-21. Retrieved 2024-06-09.
- ^ "Εκλογές 2023: Δημήτρης Νατσιός, ο θεολόγος που έβαλε τη «Νίκη» στον εκλογικό χάρτη". ProtoThema (in Greek). 2023-05-18. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
- ^ "Νίκη: η επιστροφή του τριπτύχου Πατρίς-Θρησκεία-Οικογένεια με μια παραλλαγή".
- ^ Newsroom (2023-05-22). "ΝΙΚΗ: Ποιο είναι το κόμμα που για λίγες ψήφους δεν μπήκε στη Βουλή". CNN.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 2024-07-09.
{{cite web}}
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- ^ Tsirbas, Yannis (2023-04-03). "Towards a predominant party system: the May 2023 election in Greece". South European Society and Politics. 28 (2): 207–230. doi:10.1080/13608746.2024.2320518. ISSN 1360-8746.
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- ^ ΙΝ, Σύνταξη (2023-05-04). "Άρχισαν να παίρνουν μορφή οι "ορφανές" ψήφοι της ακροδεξιάς – Ποιο είναι το κόμμα "Νίκη";". in.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 2023-06-24.
- ^ a b c ΙΝ, Σύνταξη (2023-05-21). "Εκλογές: Ποιο είναι το κόμμα "Νίκη" που παραλίγο να μπει στη Βουλή". in.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 2023-06-24.
- ^ Newsroom. "Τελικά αποτελέσματα εκλογών 2023: ΝΔ 40,55%, ΣΥΡΙΖΑ 17,83%, ΠΑΣΟΚ 11,86% – 8 κόμματα στη Βουλή". www.ieidiseis.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 2023-06-26.
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has generic name (help) - ^ "Το κόμμα Νίκη, η "Ελλάς-Ελλήνων-Χριστιανών" θεωρία τους και η "λίγκα του Βορρά"". ΤΑ ΝΕΑ (in Greek). 2023-05-26. Retrieved 2023-06-24.
- ^ Newsroom (2024-06-09). "Αποτελέσματα ευρωεκλογών 2024: Πώς θα δείτε τη σταυροδοσία και ποιοι εκλέγονται ευρωβουλευτές". CNN.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 2024-06-09.
{{cite web}}
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has generic name (help) - ^ "Εκλογές 2023: Δημήτρης Νατσιός, ο θεολόγος που έβαλε τη «Νίκη» στον εκλογικό χάρτη". ProtoThema (in Greek). 2023-05-18. Retrieved 2023-06-24.
- ^ "Το σκοτεινό δίκτυο της Νίκης – Πώς το κόμμα του θεολόγου από το Κιλκίς έφτασε να διεκδικεί την είσοδό του στη Βουλή" (in Greek). 2023-06-12. Retrieved 2023-06-24.
- ^ "Εκλογές 2023 – Ιερά Μονή Φιλοθέου: Δεν έχουμε σχέση με το κόμμα ΝΙΚΗ". NewsIT (in Greek). 2023-05-30. Retrieved 2023-06-24.
- ^ "Εκλογές 2023 – Μονή Καρακάλλου: Ανυπόστατα τα δημοσιεύματα για ανάμειξη στις εκλογές και σχέση με το κόμμα «Νίκη»". Newsbeast (in Greek). 2023-05-27. Retrieved 2023-06-24.
- ^ ΙΝ, Σύνταξη (2023-05-27). ""Ως εδώ»: Παρέμβαση Ιερώνυμου για «εμπλοκή της Εκκλησίας και κληρικών της στα πολιτικά δρώμενα της χώρας"". in.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 2023-06-24.
- ^ "Μητροπολίτης Αλεξανδρουπόλεως κατά κόμματος "Νίκη": "Εργαλειοποιούν τη θρησκευτική ταυτότητα" | Liberal.gr". www.liberal.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 2023-06-24.
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- ^ "In the most recent election, Greek far right made a sinister comeback". euronews. 2023-07-04. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
- ^ a b Fallon, Katy. "'Very worrying': Three far-right parties enter Greek parliament". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
- ^ a b c Besliu, Raluca (4 June 2024). "How a far-right Greek party is gaining with a 'coalition of voters' ahead of the EP elections". The Parliament Magazine. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
- ^ "Εκλογές: Ποιο είναι το κόμμα «Νίκη» που παραλίγο να μπει στη Βουλή". in.gr (in Greek). 2023-05-21. Retrieved 2024-06-17.
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- ^ "Εκλογές 2023: Στη Βόρεια Ελλάδα τα «κάστρα» της ΝΙΚΗΣ, παίρνει 10 έδρες – Ποιο είναι το κόμμα του θεολόγου Νατσιού" (in Greek). Prothema. 25 June 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
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- ^ Σουλιώτης, Γιάννης (2023-05-25). "Εκλογές 2023: Η Νίκη, οι μονές και οι αντιεμβολιαστές". Η ΚΑΘΗΜΕΡΙΝΗ (in Greek). Retrieved 2023-07-04.
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- ^ "Εκλογές 2023 – Νίκη: Το κόμμα του θεολόγου με τις σχέσεις στο Άγιον Όρος και τις εκκλησιαστικές οργανώσεις". ProtoThema (in Greek). 2023-05-08. Retrieved 2023-06-24.
- ^ "Εκλογές 2023 – Νίκη: Το κόμμα του θεολόγου με τις σχέσεις στο Άγιον Όρος και τις εκκλησιαστικές οργανώσεις". ProtoThema (in Greek). 2023-05-08. Retrieved 2023-06-24.
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- ^ "ΝΙΚΗ – Καταστατικό". NIKH (in Greek). Retrieved 2024-07-07.
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