The Coalition of Radical Left (SYRIZA), the electoral alliance in which Synaspismos participated as the main component, gained in the 16th September 2007 elections, the 5,04% and elected 14 MPs. This is an increase of 1,85% from the previous elections (March 2004) and 8 more seats.
New Democracy won the elections: 41.83% and 152 seats. PASOK came second with 38,10% and 102 seats while the Communist Party of Greece won 8.15% of the vote and 22 seats.
The Greek Orthodox Rally, an extreme right, xenophobic party, won 3.80% and 10 seats. This is the first time that an extreme right wing party manages to enter the Greek Parliament after 1974.
On the other hand, it must be noted that the score of both parties that have monopolized power after the 1974 junta was the lowest ever. The Ecologists –Alternative ballot won 1.05% and 75.329 votes but no seats – the threshold for Parliamentary entry is 3%.
It is noteworthy that SY.RI.ZA scored high results in the regions of Athens, Piraeus and Salonica. In particular the result in the Municipality of Athens was 9,27% and 2 seats, in suburban Athens (Athens B region) was 8,94% % and 4 seats, in Piraeus A region 6,76% and 1 seat, in Piraeus B 6.41% and one seat, in Attiki 5.80% and 1 seat, in Thessaloniki A 6.12% and 1 seat, in Thessaloniki B 4.15% and 1 seat and one seat and 4.91% in Ahaia (Peloponnese region).
Alecos Alavanos was elected in Heraklion in Crete with 4,35%.
The increased percentage together with the change in the electoral law allowed SY.RI.ZA to elect Yiannis Banias (Secretarty of AKOA) from the national list.
Alecos Alavanos, President of SYNASPISMOS who headed the SY.RI.ZA, made the following statement after the announcement of the first results:
"We are joyous.
The radical left attained one of the best results in its post-dictatorship history and the percentage of the Coalition of the Radical Left rises by the hour.
We thank the new generation, the "400 Euro a month generation", the internet and article 16 generation, for their confidence. We are well aware that this is a trial.
We thank the thousands of friends from the socialist camp who have already created a grassroots component of the Coalition of Radical Left. We are well aware that this is a trial.
We thank the multicoloured left camp, which became active, believed and were joyous. We know that this is a trial.
The rise of the Coalition of Radical Left is especially important because it is part of a new political landscape characterized by:
· A new, powerful message of a turn towards the left
· An especially low percentage for the two leading parties
· A self-reliant government on the one hand, on the other a fragile government when faced with a strong social movement
· The rejection of political consent between PASOK and New Democracy
The change of the political landscape is important. It is true that this change is not as big as we would like and not always in the direction we are aiming at.
The struggle continues.
In the new landscape:
· We will do our utmost to strengthen the dynamic of the youth and the other social movements
· We will stand against any anti-social option of this government of popular minority: more militantly, more decisively, more effectively
· We will mobilize so that the great Left, open to ideas of the advanced socialist space, can cover the great gap that has been created by the integration of the major opposition party in the politics of the establishment.
· Finally, now that elections are over and politics are moving away from the limelight we shall not allow the fires and the people suffering from their effects to be moved out of the limelight. We shall keep on exercising all our efforts for the environment in our country."
Athens, 17 September 2007