2004 election slogans
Greece, Democracy, Struggle, Change, Tomorrow, Together, the People – these are some of the words that came up again and again during the election campaign and in party slogans. Words heavy with meaning and emotion, they were easily absorbed by voters, persuading some of them more, and others a little less. What imprint did the national elections of 2004 leave on the history of sloganeering? New Democracy focused on catch phrases that were unifying in character and slogans that expressed the need for change and hope. Thus ND Chairman Costas Karamanlis’s main poster had «For all Greeks» printed on it. Other slogans were: – All together with Karamanlis. – The country needs change. – We all deserve a better tomorrow. – Young people hope, for Karamanlis they vote. Slogans, albeit fewer in number, also referred to PASOK’s policies. – The people remember who made off with the cash. – Rise Andreas (late Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou), Karamanlis is here. – PASOK has given all it can. PASOK dragged from the recesses of its memory the tried and tested slogan of «Change» and celebrated the term «participatory democracy.» – We’re changing eras, we’re giving life. – Change, change with the founder’s son (PASOK leader George Papandreou is the son of PASOK founder, Andreas Papandreou). – Rise Andreas, to see the child of Change. – A fresh victory from the young. – We unite the Greeks, bring change to Greece, all together in a New Age. – We dare, we commit. – Come rain, come snow, George will win. The Communist Party of Greece (KKE), faithful to its principles and steadily opposed to a bipolar party system, projected its appetite for struggle with: – A powerful KKE, power to the people. – Neither ND nor PASOK, people’s alliance, people’s power. – Strong and together, forward with KKE. A clear appeal to the electorate was: – Spring a surprise, vote for KKE. Synaspismos Left Coalition of the radical Left focused on its activity in the fight with neoliberalism and the timeliness of the Left’s messages: – The time has come for the Left once more. – We met in the streets, we’ll meet at the ballot. – Movements give birth to the new, the future is Left. – Let’s get serious about employment. – Yes to equality, no to neoliberalism. – For a world that works. – For man and not for profit. The Democratic Social Movement (DIKKI) used even loftier sentiments in its slogans, making free use of the terms «soul,» «resistance» and «care»: – A vote for the soul (on a poster of DIKKI leader Dimitris Tsovolas). – Because somebody has to care. – Because somebody has to resist. – DIKKI in Parliament, on your commandment. – No to the Right, whether it be blue (ND’s colors) or green (PASOK’s colors). The far-right Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS), apart from the traditional «Fatherland, religion, family» motto, marshaled more condemnatory ones of Hassan, the economic migrant invoked by a PASOK’s previous campaign, but also slammed the family control of the two large parties: – The Greek gets unemployment papers, Hassan gets the work permit. – Do you want the son (George Papandreou), the nephew (Costas Karamanlis) or one of you? – With Greeks for Greece. – We’re paving the way without making compromises.
