Niki (Greek political party)
Democratic Patriotic Popular Movement "Niki" Δημοκρατικό Πατριωτικό Λαϊκό Κίνημα «Νίκη» | |
---|---|
Abbreviation | NIKI (Victory) |
Leader | Dimitris Natsios |
Founder | Dimitris Natsios |
Founded | 17 June 2019 (2019年6月17日) |
Headquarters | Thessaloniki |
Youth wing | NIKI Youth[1] |
Ideology | |
Political position | Far-right [14] |
Religion | Greek Orthodox Church |
European Parliament group | Non-Inscrits |
Colours | Purple red Light blue |
Hellenic Parliament | 10 / 300 |
European Parliament | 1 / 21 |
Website | |
nikh | |
The Democratic Patriotic Popular Movement "Niki" (Greek: Δημοκρατικό Πατριωτικό Λαϊκό Κίνημα «Νίκη», romanized: Dimokratikó Patriotikó Laikó 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, "Faith, Fatherland, Family",[18] [19] the radical restructuring of education in Greek schools,[20] changing Greek nationality law in regards to immigrants and refugees and the adoption of measures to solve the demographic problem,[21] such as supporting large families and the traditional family.[22] [23] The party is supportive of the Greek Orthodox Church and has been described as "ultra-religious".[24] [25]
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.[26] He emerged in the polls shortly before the May 2023 elections.[27] [28] In that election, the first in which it participated, it garnered 2.92% of the vote and remained out of Parliament.[29] In the June elections, it achieved 3.7% and secured 10 seats.[30] He gathered the largest percentages in Northern Greece and specifically in Macedonia.[31]
In the European elections of June 2024 it gathered a percentage of 4.42% and elected an MEP, Nikos Anadiotis, to the European Parliament.[32]
In November 2024, the first congress of Niki was held in Thessaloniki, where the updated party statute was approved, and the party’s governing bodies were elected.[33]
In 2025, during the election process for the President of the Hellenic Republic, Niki nominated Kostas Kyriakou, a Northern Epirote political prisoner under the Hoxha regime, as well as a lawyer and writer.[34] He ranked fourth.[35]
Ideology and positions
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Niki is often described as ultraconservative and ultra-Orthodox with faith, fatherland and family as the main axes,[36] [37] [38] however, the party president denies the left-right political arc, stating that they do not identify with the right, the left or the centre.[39] [40]
According to its statute, the party aims "to unite all Greeks who are inspired by patriotic and Orthodox sentiment for the defense of the ideals of Freedom and Independence."[41] Other self-referential positions include the defense of territorial integrity and national sovereignty, the restructuring of education, the support of the traditional family to address the demographic problem, and the promotion of referendums on critical issues.[42] Additionally, the party does not accept former politicians as members[43] , calling for those accused of mismanaging public funds and increasing national debt to be held accountable in court, with the goal of abolishing "party rule" and ensuring the independent functioning of the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches.[44]
The party often refers to characteristics of the Greek nation which it promotes such as language, history and tradition,[45] while it places special emphasis on education, criticizing certain content of school books and prejudicing the writing of new ones.[46] [28] It opposes sex education in schools and abortion.[47] The party is against LGBT adoption and marriage.[48] It states its opposition to mandatory medical procedures,[49] [50] such as the vaccination during Covid-19 and questions the safety of these vaccines.[51] [52] The party has endorsed vaccine hesitant views during the COVID-19 pandemic.[51] [53] [54]
In matters of foreign policy, the party completely rejects the Prespa Agreement.[55] 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.[56] It disagrees with Greece's support for Ukraine regarding Russia's invasion, instead preferring neutrality.[57] The party has been referred to as "pro-Russia".[58] Regarding Greece's relations with Turkey the party takes a hardline approach to their disputes.[vague ][51] During the Israel–Hamas war, the party has called for peace between the two sides and for the Greek government to advocate for the protection of Orthodox Christians affected by the conflict.[59]
Party structure
The party is managed by two bodies. According to the statute, the main body is the Vouleftirion (Βουλευτήριον), a seven-member group that ensures the party runs smoothly in line with its statutory principles. Members of the Vouleftirion are independent of other organs, do not officially represent the party, cannot stand as candidates in any elections, and are unpaid.[60] It is often seen as a conclave of a select few who are unaccountable to anyone, as the identities of the Vouleftirion members are unknown, unlike the Omaikhmia, whose members are known.[61] This lack of transparency was highlighted during the June 2023 elections when the Vouleftirion replaced candidates chosen by voters in the May elections with others of its own choosing.[62] [63]
The second body is the Omaikhmia or Homaichmía (Ομαιχμία or ὁμοαιχμία), a 28-member group that publicly represents the party's views and positions. The President of the party acts as the spokesperson for the Omaikhmia. Members are vetted for their integrity, honesty, patriotism, and religiosity before being appointed.[64] [65]
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
|
Increase 10 | 7th | Opposition |
European Parliament
European Parliament | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Election | Votes | % | ±pp | Seats won | +/− | Rank | Leader | EP Group |
2024 | 174,574 | 4.37% | New | 1 / 21
|
New | 6th | Dimitris Natsios | NI |
Parliamentary Groups
Hellenic Parliament
20th Parliamentary Period
After the June 2023 Greek legislative election, Niki elected 10 Members of the Parliament. The Parliamentary Group consists of the following MPs:
- State MP : Athanasios Rakovalis
- Athens B1 : Aspasia Kouroupaki
- Athens B2 : Andreas Voryllas
- Athens B3 : Nikos Vrettos
- East Attica : Tassos Iconomopoulos
- Achaea : Spyros Tsironis
- Thessaloniki A : Dimitris Natsios
- Thessaloniki B : Nikos Papadopoulos
- Larissa (constituency) : Giorgos Rountas
- Pieria (constituency) : Komninos Delveroudis
European Parliament
10th European Parliament
After the European Elections 2024, Niki elected one MEP.
Notes
^a Omaichmia is an ancient Greek word means union for battle, defensive alliance, league. [66] ^b senate [67]
References
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- ^ ertnews.gr, Συντακτική ομάδα (9 November 2024). "Το πρώτο συνέδριο της «NIKHΣ» στη Θεσσαλονίκη - Δ. Νατσιός: Εφαλτήριο για να ανεβούμε ψηλότερα". ertnews.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 2 April 2025.
- ^ Newsroom (22 January 2025). "Βουλή: Στην Ειδική Γραμματεία του προέδρου οι υποψηφιότητες για νέο Πρόεδρο της Δημοκρατίας". Η ΚΑΘΗΜΕΡΙΝΗ (in Greek). Retrieved 2 April 2025.
{{cite web}}
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- ^ "Greece: Far right makes resurgence – DW – 06/30/2023". dw.com. Retrieved 2 April 2025.
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External links
- Official website Edit this at Wikidata (in Greek)
- 2019 establishments in Greece
- Anti-abortion organizations in Europe
- Anti-gender movement
- Anti-immigration politics in Europe
- Christian fundamentalist organizations in Europe
- Christian nationalism in Europe
- Conservative parties in Greece
- Far-right political parties in Greece
- National conservative parties
- Nationalist parties in Greece
- Opposition to same-sex marriage in Europe
- Opposition to sex education in Europe
- Organizations that oppose LGBTQ rights in Greece
- Paleoconservative organizations
- Political parties established in 2019
- Russophilic parties in Greece
- Vaccine hesitancy