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Independent Student Movements of Greece

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In Greece, the term "Independent Student Movement" denotes university parties that operate autonomously, without affiliations to any political party. While relatively rare, these independent parties stand apart from the more common student wings of political parties that often dominate university elections.[1] The precise origins of independent student movements remain obscure; however, a survey conducted among 700 students at the National Technical University of Athens in 1996 revealed that 75% of respondents disagreed with student organizations aligning with political parties.[2]

Analysis of election data spanning the last two decades reveals the growing influence of Independent Student Movements in university politics. Throughout the period from 2015 to 2024, these movements consistently garnered between 5.8% and 7.3% of the nationwide vote, marking a notable increase from the preceding decade, during which they secured 2.8% to 5.8% of the vote.[3] While their agendas, ideological orientations, and organizational structures may vary, these movements share a common stance: opposition to political party intervention in student representation.[4][5][6] The subsequent sections highlight notable instances where such movements have garnered media attention.

Independent Student Movement of ECE at NTUA[edit]

Established in 2015 by Orestis Mastakas, the Independent Student Movement of the Electrical and Computer Engineering department at the National Technical University of Athens swiftly gained prominence.[7][8][9] In 2016, the movement garnered significant media attention when one of its promotional videos amassed over 63,000 views on YouTube, surpassing the viewership of even the most-watched video on the official YouTube channel of the New Democracy student wing, which has yet to exceed 52,000 views as of June 2024.[10][11] While no official statements regarding the party's political orientation have been found, it was categorized as "other right-wing" in election results.[12] The movement championed causes such as campus cleanliness, prevention of squatting, and the promotion of academic excellence.[7]

Independent Student Movement of Law School at UoA[edit]

The Independent Student Movement of the Law School at the University of Athens was established in 2017 by Panayiotis Vallianatos, Irini Karadimou, Irini Lentis, Dimitra Lefa, Gabriella Maniki, Asterios Paradias, Danae Papadea, Panayiotis Pouggouras, Dionysios Poukamisas, Konstantinos Poulios, Cleanthi Sardeli, and Konstantinos Sifakis.[4] Their founding declaration emphasizes autonomy in decision-making and expression, striving for a politically independent student movement free from external influence. Rejecting ideological constraints, the Movement advocates pragmatic solutions to real-life problems, prioritizing reason over emotion and storytelling. In the 2024 elections, the Independent Student Movement of UoA secured first place with 29.9%, potentially achieving the best electoral result ever for an independent movement. It was classified as "other right-wing" in the election results.[3][13]

Independent Student Movement of A.U.Th.[edit]

The Independent Student Movement of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki emerged in 2019, initially starting from the School of Philosophy. Led by a committee of 6 students, the movement advocated for significant reforms within the university's governance structure. Its primary goal was to abolish the current party system and replace it with individual elections. Additionally, the movement sought to implement electronic voting, remove posters from internal spaces, prevent squatting, and eradicate all forms of verbal or physical violence.[5]

Panhellenic Independent Movement of Students[edit]

The Panhellenic Independent Movement of Students was established in 2022 with the aim of aligning Greek universities with European standards. Self-identifying as a liberal organization, its core principles revolved around advocating for meritocracy, implementing professor evaluation systems, and modernizing academic curricula. Additionally, the movement proposed several progressive initiatives, including the abolition of the party system, the introduction of electronic voting mechanisms, closer integration with the job market, the formation of equality and gender committees, ensuring full accessibility for individuals with disabilities, adopting hybrid teaching methodologies, and enhancing campus security measures.[6][failed verification][non-primary source needed]

Timeline[edit]

Year Nationwise Percentage Documented significant events
2004 5.8 %[3]
2005 5.5 %[3]
2006 4.5 %[3]
2007 4.9%[3]
2008 3.8%[3]
2009 3.3%[3]
2010 2.8%[3]
2011 2.6%[3]
2012 5.0%[3]
2013 4.9%[3]
2014 5.8%[3]
2015 7.2%[3] Establishment of Independent Student Movement of ECE at NTUA[7][8][9]
2016 7.3%[3] Independent Student Movement of ECE at NTUA publishes the potentially most viewed university elections promotional video up to date[7][10][11]
2017 7.3%[3] Establishment of Independent Student Movement of Law School at UoA[4]
2018 6.8%[3]
2019 6.7%[3] Establishment of Independent Student Movement of A.U.Th.[5]
2020 No elections (COVID)[3][14][15]
2021 No elections (COVID)[3][15]
2022 7.3%[3] Establishment of Panhellenic Independent Movement of Students[6]
2023 6.4%[3]
2024 5.8%[3] Independent Student Movement of Law School at UoA secures first place and achieves the potentially best result up to date[13][3]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Tsopriadou, K. (2015). "The non-participation of Greek student organizations in the European Students Union-Reasons and Consequences". Master's thesis.
  2. ^ Papadiamantaki, Y., Fragoulis, G., & Soroliou, E. (2016). "Student Engagement in Higher Education: Participation in Greek Student Elections". Academia (6): 198–220.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x "ΑΠΟΤΕΛΕΣΜΑΤΑ ΑΕΙ | νΚΑ". ekloges.nka.gr. Retrieved 2024-06-05.
  4. ^ a b c "Φοιτητικές εκλογές 2017: Η Ανεξάρτητη Φοιτητική Κίνηση Νομικής Αθηνών". neolaia.gr.
  5. ^ a b c "ΑΠΘ: Κατάργηση των φοιτητικών παρατάξεων ζητά η Ανεξάρτητη Πρωτοβουλία Φοιτητών". Alfavita (in Greek). Retrieved 2024-06-05.
  6. ^ a b c "Φοιτητικές εκλογές 2022: Η αφίσα & οι θέσεις της «ΠΑΝΚΣ»". neolaia.gr.
  7. ^ a b c d Orestes Flavius (2016-05-11). NTUA ΑΦΚ personal spot 1 : A man of duty. Retrieved 2024-06-05 – via YouTube.
  8. ^ a b "Το σποτάκι αυτού του ανεξάρτητου υποψήφιου του ΕΜΠ παίζει να σε κάνει να ψηφίσεις ΔΑΠ (VIDEO)". LUBEN. Retrieved 2024-06-05.
  9. ^ a b Team, Neopolis (2016-05-13). "Ο τριτοετής φοιτητής του Πολυτεχνείου που ...κάνει πλάκα σε ΔΑΠίτες και ΚΝίτες!". Neopolis (in Greek). Retrieved 2024-06-05.
  10. ^ a b "ΔΑΠ-ΝΔΦΚ".
  11. ^ a b "dapndfk - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 2024-06-05.
  12. ^ "ΑΠΟΤΕΛΕΣΜΑΤΑ ΑΕΙ | νΚΑ". ekloges.nka.gr. Retrieved 2024-06-05.
  13. ^ a b "Σάρωσαν στη Νομική οι Ανεξάρτητοι Φοιτητές – Έχασε τη Νομική Αθηνών η ΔΑΠ-ΝΔΦΚ". eReportaz (in Greek). 2024-05-23. Retrieved 2024-06-05.
  14. ^ "Φοιτητικές Εκλογές 2020 & Εξεταστική Ιουνίου: Όσα μοιράστηκε μαζί μας φοιτητής και Γραμματέας της Π.Α.Σ.Π. του ΠΑΠΕΙ". neolaia.gr.
  15. ^ a b Group), Radiotileoptiki S. A. (OPEN Digital (2022-04-13). "Επιστρέφουν οι φοιτητικές εκλογές μετά από 2 χρόνια – Πότε θα διεξαχθούν". ΕΘΝΟΣ (in Greek). Retrieved 2024-06-05.
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