The document discusses the rise of support for Syriza, the radical left coalition in Greece, through social media from 2006-2015. It describes how [1] early online activism and alternative media helped spread Syriza's anti-austerity message, [2] a dedicated social media team was crucial to their growing popularity and electoral successes in the lead up to 2015, but [3] internal divisions and pressure from international lenders weakened Syriza's position and social media activism after gaining power.

1. Building support for the radical left
through social media
the case of Greece
Nikos Smyrnaios
Université de Toulouse

2. The context
Syriza: coalition of the Greek non Stalinist radical left
It’s rise to power is a unique phenomenon in Europe:
Vote percentage x8 in 5 years. From 13 MPs in 2009 to 149 in
2015 (out of 300)
Against the mainstream media & the political establishment in
Greece & the EU

3. The context
Multiple factors explain this phenomenon:
- Greece’s particular political history
- Dramatic socio-economic crisis & extreme austerity
- Nepotism & corruption of traditional political parties
- Distrust in mainstream media
- Powerful social movement between 2010 & 2014
…but also the rise of overwhelming support
for Syriza online

4. Research question & method
What was the socio-political process that built overwhelming
support for Syriza on social media ?
Historical narrative of the “complex sociotechnical and system” &
the particular political context that helps a popular movement for
change to expand (Lim, 2012)
Empirical material:
Interviews with activists & members of Syriza
Participant observation in two campaigns (disclosure)
Study of online content from 2006 to 2015

5. The early days (2006-2009)
Greek political activism online was limited to Indymedia Athens
up to the middle of the 2000s
From 2006 rise of the Greek blogosphere: modernist technophile
elite, « liberal consensus » against conservatism, political activism
against corruption
May 2006: 4th European Social Forum in Athens
October 2006: SYRIZA’s successful election campaign for
municipality of Athens headed by Alexis Tsipras (32)
August 2007: first protest organised by bloggers in Athens
against massive wildfires

7. The early days (2006-2010)
February 2008: Tsipras becomes leader of SYRIZA
X-generation, anti-globalisation movement & social forums, close
to the blogosphere, try to modernize SYRIZA
Tsipras’ first interview as SYRIZA’s leader is to citizen journalism
webradio (Radiobubble)
December 2008: massive riots in Greece after the assassination
of Alexis Grigoropoulos by a policeman
Alternative media explode: start-ups (TVXS), citizen journalism
(Radiobubble), hashtag reporting (#Griots)
Tsipras’ personal friends with “street credibility” & tenths of
SYRIZA sympathisers connect to it (they will be at the heart of
future campaigns)

9. The early days (2006-2010)
April 2009: Obama’s online campaign organizer invited by
SYRIZA. Strategic choice to invest the internet in order to counter
mainstream propaganda
Online political polarization mainly between progressives (of
radical Left/SYRIZA and Center Left/PASOK) versus
conservatives (Right/New Democracy)
October 2009: PASOK under Papandreou win elections with first
major online political campaign in Greece,
co-opting of the “progressive” blogosphere
April 2010: Greece declared bankrupt, 1st Memorandum (forced
loans from EU & IMF + extreme austerity measures). 2nd
Memorandum in February 2011

10. The early days (2006-2010)
May 2011: Spanish Indignados occupy Plaza del Sol, Greek
Aganaktismenoi occupy Syntagma square
Through 2011 & 2012 massive protests, repeated police brutality,
social media denounce repression & propaganda
Protests & digital/physical hubs (e.g. Radiobubble)
further connect SYRIZA & social media activists
Online political polarization shifts to pro-austerity (Center
Left/Pasok & Right/ND) versus anti-austerity (Left/Syriza &
patriots/populists )
May/June 2012: first electoral success of Syriza that becomes the
main opposition to reactionary pro-austerity right wing
government. Neo-Nazis enter Parliament

12. The road to power (2013-2015)
October 2013: European Left designates Tsipras for the
presidency of the European Commission. Tours Europe
SYRIZA creates a dedicated social media team for campaign
Team (n=20) with very small budget but a lot of enthusiasm.
Many experts (data scientists, communication strategists,
journalists) work for free
Office not in SYRIZA’s HQs => complete autonomy from
politicians. The campaign federates tenths of “influencers”
Strategy connected with social movements (spontaneous
participation); uses coverage about the Greek crisis to speak
about Europe; coordinates internationally (transform!); relies on
creativity coming from the base; radical but also “informal”
discourse (humour, flexibility)

14. It

15. The road to power (2013-2015)
Tsipras gains reputation in the EU (+17 MPs for EL, from 35 to
52) and popularity in Greece, SYRIZA becomes 1st party in
Summer 2014: Access to power is only a matter of time. Tsipras
starts meetings with mainstream media moguls (contacts
apparently started in 2012)
The social media team falls apart, one of the 2 main coordinators
resigns over political differences
January 25 2015: Snap elections in Greece. A social media team
is put together only 40 days prior
Electoral communication centred on Tsipras, conceived by ad
agencies & consultants outside SYRIZA, chosen by Tsipras 1st
circle

16. #SYRIZA on Twitter after the Greek Elections of January25 2015
SYRIZA’s victory still has a massive
international impact

17. Negotiation and defeat (2015)
Tsipras’ government tries to negotiate with Troïka on a moderate
basis (strategy co-authored by Varoufakis), as months pass the
Greek government’s position gets weaker
Many members of the social media team get jobs in government,
one of the 2 coordinators becomes Tsipras’ personal CM
Members who voice criticism are not proposed jobs, are
marginalised
June 2015: BCE imposes capital controls
July 2015: Tsipras calls for a Referendum on the Troïka’s
austerity plan, 62% reject it (last popular act of defiance)
One week after Tsipras signs the austerity plan

18. #Greferendum on Twitter
Greek referendum still has a massive
international impact. But it was the last time..

19. You’ll find all my analyses from that period, including
graphs, on ephemeron.eu
Thanks !