A Green comeback in Greece? : the Ecologist Greens in the 2007 parliamentary election

One of the most prominent features of environmental politics in Greece has been the weakness of Green political organisations (Weale et al. 2000, p. 252). The first serious Green electoral bid occurred in 1989. Helped by proportional representation and widespread discontent with the established parties (Karamichas and Botetzagias 2003, p. 73), the Ecologist Alternatives participated in the November 1989 and April 1990 elections gaining 0.6% and 0.8% of the vote respectively, and one parliamentary seat. But their success was short-lived: pronounced factionalism and conflict over the issue of recognising the neighbouring republic as Macedonia destroyed the party organisation. The Green MP resigned from the party and became independent while the party ‘withered away’ (Karamichas and Botetzagias 2003, p. 87) before the parliamentary term was over.