Greece has partially resurfaced in recent months after a decade of hardship. It is not surprising that the central issue in this Sunday’s electoral campaign is how citizens confront the aftermath of the recovery. “Even the basics are hard when everything costs more and salaries don’t rise. paying rent and buying food is tough,” says Thanasis, who attended a major gathering on Thursday in Athens. The rally in Syntagma Square featured Alexis Tsipras and the left-wing Syriza, drawing thousands as he pledged justice for all and faced questions from conservatives about the current government’s democratic stance with New Democracy.
Across the Greek left, there is broad consensus that if the crisis hits the most vulnerable after three bailouts, the minimum wage could be cut by about 25 percent and pensions by around 20 percent, while everyone would share in the modest recovery. Tsipras promised wage increases and tax relief on a basket of staples, and New Democracy signaled similar pledges to ease the burden on households.
The left views the legislative change as a move toward a second round of elections on Sunday in July. The winning party, with a 50-seat bonus, has often used that provision to speed up government formation. The system’s switch to fully proportional representation makes it nearly impossible for any party to reach the 45 percent needed to avoid another vote, with the 50-seat jackpot reallocated to the winner in the next round.
housing and electricity
Polls place New Democracy, led by outgoing Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, just over 30 percent, with Tsipras slightly behind. Supporters on the left hope the polls underestimate their strength again. “They always do that with Syriza,” says three young listeners, Myrto, Chris, and Anna, who attended Tsipras’s speech. Living costs, including housing and electricity, pose the same challenges for many, with Myrto noting that rent consumes more than half a salary and electricity remains one of Europe’s priciest bills.
Remnants of years of austerity linger on city streets. Some establishments still feature English names that flourished during the crisis, and Syriza-era policies offered inexpensive snacks that are remembered by locals—coffee for under a euro, a cheese sandwich for about 1.20 euros. Along Stadiou Avenue and other main routes, many streetlights remain off after dark, while tourists continue to flock to upscale restaurants like the Athene, where the head chef predicts a strong season ahead.
Stadiou Avenue remained a focal point of campaign activity, despite ongoing traffic disruptions that some say highlight a broader challenge of governance. Left-leaning voters such as Maria and Kostas, waiting outside the Rex Theater for the show to begin, argue that change can be healthier for democracy and that electoral reform could foster more faithful representation of public opinion. They see coalitions as a necessity rather than a disruption.
Supporters of right-wing parties express a different view. “History has shown it’s hard to cooperate with a party aiming to open borders,” notes Petros, a cafe owner in Athens, referencing Giorgia Meloni in Italy as an example and asking who could house ten immigrants themselves.
Pasok’s role
Since immigration drew sharp divides in Greek society a few years ago, the situation has shifted. Cooperation with migrants remains a priority as Greece seeks to balance pressures from those entering the country with the needs of residents. Civil society has observed a decline in asylum-seeker flows in camps such as Schisto, southwest of Athens, where the camp director, Thomas Papakonstantinou, recalls the worst times when the site housed more than 1,250 asylum seekers; today it holds around 670, mostly from Afghanistan and Iran.
Analysts and ordinary citizens alike do not see immigration as the defining issue of Sunday’s vote, even in areas long associated with nationalist groups. The influence of hardline groups on the political landscape appears diminished as voters look to broader economic concerns rather than fear-driven loyalties.
In Syntagma, Syriza’s central rally closed with moments reminiscent of Spain’s leftist demonstrations, including sparklers, Bella Ciao, ska rhythms, and red flags waved from the stage. Some observers calculated the possibility of a left-led government without a second election, while others warned that coalition dynamics could shape the outcome more than any single party. The sentiment of Thanasis echoed across the crowd: the country’s historic left, though weakened, is trying to rise again, with genuine belief that the recovery will take hold, even as polls suggest it might still be limited in scope.