Implications of the Greek crisis: Nationalism, enemy stereotypes and the European Union

This chapter discusses the multiple ideological and political implications of the Greek economic crisis (2010-2014). The perception of victimhood within Greek public opinion constitutes an important aspect of these developments. The rise of Greek nationalism has emerged as a prominent manifestation of the public response to the crisis. Even though the ideological and conceptual connotations of victimhood are not homogenous, its association with the image of an external enemy has become increasingly popular. A typical example of this tendency is the emergence of anti-German discourse. While the negative image of contemporary Germany is primarily constructed upon memories and symbols of Nazism, it also incorporates elements of an anti-capitalist and anti-globalization rhetoric. The anti-German discourse also reflects on the image of European Union which is perceived as an institutional setting under German hegemony. In this context, the austerity measures dictated by the international loan agreements have been denounced by a large part of the political and media elites as foreign intervention and suppression of national sovereignty, shaping the discursive construction of “occupation.” Far from being marginal, the interpretative scheme of occupation has expanded in the context of persisting instability and restructuring of the Greek party system, as well as under pressures stemming from the revival of nationalism and populism. The rise of the neo-Nazi party of Golden Dawn is another disturbing symptom of these developments. The chapter traces the evolution of these trends by conducting qualitative analysis of public discourse and by combining quantitative data drawn from Eurobarometer annual surveys in order to highlight the interaction between elite discursive strategies and mass perceptions.