Reconciliation in Resignation: The 2015 Greek Referendum on the Lenders’ Conditions

Abstract

On 5 July 2015, the Greek voters were presented with a referendum on the austeri‐ ty policy that the European institutions demanded Greece should implement. Over 60% answered “No”, a vote that, however, the Greek government of then Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras did not act according to this outcome. The paper argues that the memorandum nonetheless revealed a consensus among the Greeks that their country should remain a member of the eurozone and the European Union. It therefore contributed to a resigned conciliation of contrary societal forces under catastrophic economic conditions. The paper develops this hypothesis by analysing the political and economic circumstances of the referendum and the national re‐ membrance culture which was activated during the referendum’s campaign. In ad‐ dition, possible motives that led to Tsipras’ government proclaiming the referen‐ dum are discussed, especially in the field of party politics. The question of consti‐ tutionality is also discussed, as is the renewed victory of SYRIZA in the parliamen‐ tary elections in September 2015.