Democratic Patriotic Movement “Victory” Δημοκρατικό Πατριωτικό Κίνημα “Νίκη” | |
---|---|
Abbreviation | NIKI |
Leader | Dimitris Natsios |
Founder | Dimitris Natsios |
Founded | 17 June 2019 |
Headquarters | Thessaloniki |
Youth wing | NIKI Youth [1] |
Ideology | |
Political position | Far-right [12] |
Religion | Greek Orthodox Church |
Colours |
Ochre Light blue |
Hellenic Parliament | 10 / 300 |
Website | |
nikh | |
The Democratic Patriotic Movement “Victory” ( Greek: Δημοκρατικό Πατριωτικό Κίνημα “Νίκη”, romanized: Dimokratikó Patriotikó Kínima “Níki”), [13] often shortened to simply Victory, is a Greek far-right political party. It was founded by educator Dimitris Natsios in 2019. [14]
The party embraces a highly ethnocentric approach to address the demographic challenge, advocating for closed borders and employing an ultranationalist rhetoric regarding family values. [15] It is associated with the clerics of the Greek Orthodox church. Furthermore, the party promotes anti-LGBTQ [16] views and endorsed vaccine hesitancy, [17] amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Its leader, Dimitris Natsios, has also expressed opposition to the legality of abortions in Greece. [18]
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. [19] He emerged in the polls shortly before the May 2023 elections. [20] [21] In the elections of June 2023, it collected 192,154 votes, i.e. 3.7% and entered the Greek Parliament with 10 seats. [22] He gathered the largest percentages in Northern Greece and specifically in Macedonia. [23]
Niki is said to receive support from the monasteries of Mount Athos and Christian Orthodox brotherhoods, [24] [25] however the Philotheou Monastery and the Karakallos Monastery publicly denied the reports. [26] [27] Archbishop Hieronymos expressed his opposition to the instrumentalization of faith, [28] and Metropolitan Anthimos of Alexandroupolis referred to the intervention of ecclesiastical circles in favor of parties. [29]
Victory has been described as a party that belongs to the broader space of the far-right [30] with ultra Orthodox beliefs. [31] [16] It is often described as conservative. [32] According to the party's manifesto, former politicians, government officials and freemasons are not accepted as party members [21] due to evident corruption among these groups. The party also demands politicians who have participated in governments that are accused of wasting public money and increasing the public debt to be held accountable in justice, as well as to limit their right to re-election. [33]
The party refers to characteristics of the Greek nation which it promotes such as language, history and tradition, [34] while it places special emphasis on education, criticizing certain content of school books and prejudicing the writing of new ones. [35] [21] It is heavily opposed to abortions [36] and sex education. [37] It maintains a negative stance towards the queer community, [16] same-sex marriage and same-sex adoption. [38] The party has endorsed vaccine hesitant views during the COVID-19 pandemic. [38] [17] [39]
In matters of foreign policy, the party completely rejects the Prespa Agreement. [40] 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. [41] It disagrees with Greece's support for Ukraine regarding Russia's invasion, instead preferring neutrality. [42] Regarding Greece's relations with Turkey the party argues that, since Turkey is acting aggressively, Greece should be answering with force. [38]
Election | Hellenic Parliament | Rank | Government | Leader | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Votes | % | ±pp | Seats won | +/− | ||||
May 2023 | 172,208 | 2.92% | New | 0 / 300
|
New | 6th | Extra-parliamentary | Dimitris Natsios |
Jun 2023 | 192,239 | 3.69% | +0.77 | 10 / 300
|
10 | 7th | Opposition |
Democratic Patriotic Movement “Victory” Δημοκρατικό Πατριωτικό Κίνημα “Νίκη” | |
---|---|
Abbreviation | NIKI |
Leader | Dimitris Natsios |
Founder | Dimitris Natsios |
Founded | 17 June 2019 |
Headquarters | Thessaloniki |
Youth wing | NIKI Youth [1] |
Ideology | |
Political position | Far-right [12] |
Religion | Greek Orthodox Church |
Colours |
Ochre Light blue |
Hellenic Parliament | 10 / 300 |
Website | |
nikh | |
The Democratic Patriotic Movement “Victory” ( Greek: Δημοκρατικό Πατριωτικό Κίνημα “Νίκη”, romanized: Dimokratikó Patriotikó Kínima “Níki”), [13] often shortened to simply Victory, is a Greek far-right political party. It was founded by educator Dimitris Natsios in 2019. [14]
The party embraces a highly ethnocentric approach to address the demographic challenge, advocating for closed borders and employing an ultranationalist rhetoric regarding family values. [15] It is associated with the clerics of the Greek Orthodox church. Furthermore, the party promotes anti-LGBTQ [16] views and endorsed vaccine hesitancy, [17] amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Its leader, Dimitris Natsios, has also expressed opposition to the legality of abortions in Greece. [18]
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. [19] He emerged in the polls shortly before the May 2023 elections. [20] [21] In the elections of June 2023, it collected 192,154 votes, i.e. 3.7% and entered the Greek Parliament with 10 seats. [22] He gathered the largest percentages in Northern Greece and specifically in Macedonia. [23]
Niki is said to receive support from the monasteries of Mount Athos and Christian Orthodox brotherhoods, [24] [25] however the Philotheou Monastery and the Karakallos Monastery publicly denied the reports. [26] [27] Archbishop Hieronymos expressed his opposition to the instrumentalization of faith, [28] and Metropolitan Anthimos of Alexandroupolis referred to the intervention of ecclesiastical circles in favor of parties. [29]
Victory has been described as a party that belongs to the broader space of the far-right [30] with ultra Orthodox beliefs. [31] [16] It is often described as conservative. [32] According to the party's manifesto, former politicians, government officials and freemasons are not accepted as party members [21] due to evident corruption among these groups. The party also demands politicians who have participated in governments that are accused of wasting public money and increasing the public debt to be held accountable in justice, as well as to limit their right to re-election. [33]
The party refers to characteristics of the Greek nation which it promotes such as language, history and tradition, [34] while it places special emphasis on education, criticizing certain content of school books and prejudicing the writing of new ones. [35] [21] It is heavily opposed to abortions [36] and sex education. [37] It maintains a negative stance towards the queer community, [16] same-sex marriage and same-sex adoption. [38] The party has endorsed vaccine hesitant views during the COVID-19 pandemic. [38] [17] [39]
In matters of foreign policy, the party completely rejects the Prespa Agreement. [40] 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. [41] It disagrees with Greece's support for Ukraine regarding Russia's invasion, instead preferring neutrality. [42] Regarding Greece's relations with Turkey the party argues that, since Turkey is acting aggressively, Greece should be answering with force. [38]
Election | Hellenic Parliament | Rank | Government | Leader | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Votes | % | ±pp | Seats won | +/− | ||||
May 2023 | 172,208 | 2.92% | New | 0 / 300
|
New | 6th | Extra-parliamentary | Dimitris Natsios |
Jun 2023 | 192,239 | 3.69% | +0.77 | 10 / 300
|
10 | 7th | Opposition |