Endorsements in the 2015 Greek bailout referendum explained

During the 2015 Greek bailout referendum a number of newspapers, individuals, politicians, political parties and organisations in Greece, Europe and internationally issued endorsements for either 'NO' to accepting the Troika bailout terms or 'YES'.

Politicians

No

• Alexis Tsipras, then prime minister of Greece and leader of the SYRIZA party^[1]
• Jeremy Corbyn, Leader of the British Labour Party^[2]
• Tom Copley, Labour Party member of the London Assembly^[3]
• Diane Abbott, British Labour Party MP and candidate for Mayor of London^{[4] [5]}
• Bernie Sanders, U.S. Senator and candidate for President of the United States^[6]

Yes

• Giorgos Kaminis, mayor of Athens^[7]
• Yiannis Boutaris, mayor of Thessaloniki
• Andy Burnham, British Labour Party politician and mayor of Manchester^[8]
• Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission^[9]
• Martin Schulz, German MEP and President of the European Parliament^[10]
• Antonis Samaras, Former Prime Minister of Greece and then leader of the New Democracy Party^[11]
• Kostas Karamanlis, Former Prime Minister of Greece and former leader of the New Democracy Party^[12]
• Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany^[13]

Individuals

No

• Thomas Piketty, French economist^[14]
• George Galloway, British politician and broadcaster^{[15] [16]}
• Paul Krugman, American Nobel Prize winning economist^[17]
• Owen Jones, British socialist newspaper columnist, political activist and writer^{[18] [19]}
• Joseph Stiglitz, American Nobel Prize winning economist^[14]
• Jeffrey Sachs, economist^[14]
• Steve Keen, British-based economist and author^[20]
• Max Keiser, British-based broadcaster, financial commentator and film maker^[21]
• Kim Dotcom, German-Finnish internet entrepreneur, businessperson and political activist^[22]
• Harry Leslie Smith, British writer, political activist and former RAF fighter in World War II^[23]
• Tariq Ali, British writer, film-maker and journalist

Yes

• Christopher Pissarides, Cypriot-British Nobel Prize winning economist^[14]
• Ieronymos II of Athens, Archbishop of Athens, primate of the Church of Greece^[24]
• Sakis Rouvas, Greek Singer^[25]

Political parties

This is the official list of endorsements by political parties as it was released by the Ministry of Interior:^{[26] [27]}

No

• Syriza, governing party of Greece
• Independent Greeks, governing party of Greece
• Golden Dawn, parliamentary opposition party in Greece
• Anticapitalist Left Cooperation for the Overthrow, minor party
• Agricultural Party of Greece, minor party
• United Popular Front, minor party
• Popular Unions of Bipartisan Social Groups, minor party

Yes

• New Democracy, opposition party
• To Potami, opposition party
• Panhellenic Socialist Movement, opposition party
• Democratic Left, minor party
• Movement of Democratic Socialists (KIDISO), minor party
• Recreate Greece, minor party

Others

Apart from the parties listed above, the Communist Party of Greece called for the use of a write-in ballot option, "even if they say that it is a spoiled ballot".^[28] The Communist Party of Greece (Marxist-Leninist) and the Marxist-Leninist Communist Party of Greece ran a joint campaign for a boycott of the vote.^[29] The Organization for the Reconstruction of the Communist Party of Greece also called for a boycott of the vote, calling it a 'fascist farce'.^[30]

Newspapers

No

• The News Line, British Trotskyist daily newspaper^[31]
• Morning Star, British socialist daily newspaper^[32]

Organisations

No

• Greece Solidarity Campaign, British-based solidarity organisation^[33]
• People's Assembly Against Austerity, British political campaign

Yes

• Technical Chamber of Greece
• Athens Bar Association
• Panhellenic Federation of Teaching and Research Staff
• Central Union of Greek Municipalities
• Greek Regions Union

Notes and References

1. Web site: Αλ. Τσίπρας: Σας καλώ να πείτε όχι στα τελεσίγραφα, αλλά και στον διχασμό | Video. 7 March 2015. www.naftemporiki.gr.
2. Web site: A Europe of Domination or of Solidarity? . Jeremy . Corbyn . The Huffington Post . 29 June 2015 . 5 July 2015.
3. Copley . Tom . tomcopley . 617832392770912256 . 5 July 2015 . Greece has voted against humiliation and subjugation #OXI . en . 29 December 2020.
4. Abbott . Diane . HackneyAbbott . 615578649937453057 . 29 June 2015 . Speaking at tonight's rally in Trafalgar Square in support of the Greek people #CancelGreekDebt http://t.co/6AYAV8qoYM . en . 29 December 2020.
5. Abbott . Diane . HackneyAbbott . 615427806097473536 . 29 June 2015 . Solidarity with the Greek people. Bailouts rescued European bankers not the people #CancelGreekDebt http://t.co/59diCZDYJY . en . 29 December 2020.
6. News: Bernie Sanders Blasts Greece's Creditors . Huffington Post . 1 July 2015.
7. News: Vor dem Referendum: Die Griechen zwischen Angst und Selbstmitleid . Die Welt . German . 4 July 2015 . 5 July 2015.
8. Web site: Devolution, Ukip and immigration: What happened when the Labour leadership hustings came to Cardiff. Shipton. Martin. Wales Online. 5 July 2015 . 6 July 2015.
9. News: Don't vote for suicide, 'betrayed' Jean-Claude Juncker begs Greeks . London . The Daily Telegraph . Matthew . Holehouse . 29 June 2015.
10. Web site: Schulz: I will go to Greece. 29 June 2015. POLITICO.
11. Web site: Σαμαράς: Το "ναι" στο δημοψήφισμα είναι "ναι" στο ευρώ. 29 June 2015. ProtoThema.
12. Web site: Στηρίζει το "ναι" ο πρώην πρωθυπουργός Κώστας Καραμανλής. Η Εφημερίδα των Συντακτών. 2 July 2015 .
13. Web site: As it happened: EU urges Greece 'yes' vote. 29 June 2015.
14. Web site: Katie . Allen . Greek referendum: how would top economists vote? . The Guardian . 3 July 2015 . 5 July 2015.
15. Galloway . George . georgegalloway . 616223602086645761 . 1 July 2015 . The Greek people should refuse German diktat and launch a parallel currency while the courts decide if they can be pushed out of the Euro . en . 29 December 2020.
16. Galloway . George . georgegalloway . 616224077758529536 . 1 July 2015 . Greek Partisans will vote NO in Sunday's referendum. There is European life after the Euro. No more bail-outs for bankers. Go for growth! . en . 29 December 2020.
17. John . Kell . This Nobel Prize-winning Economist Says Greeks Should Vote 'No' . Time . 29 June 2015 . 5 July 2015.
18. News: We must stop Angela Merkel's bullying – or let the forces of austerity win | Owen Jones. The Guardian . 28 January 2015. Jones . Owen .
19. Occupy London . OccupyLondon . 615574319985520640 . 29 June 2015 . LIVE #Greece #solidarity Action #olsx #syriza no to #austerity http://t.co/AzAJC3C7fG #owenjones @OwenJones84 speaking . en . 29 December 2020.
20. Keen . Steve . ProfSteveKeen . 616608840776351744 . 2 July 2015 . No. We exchange emails, but they are trying to stay inside the Euro. I wish them the best in the Referendum. Vote NO https://t.co/q84XP7Gykv . en . 29 December 2020.
21. Web site: Keiser Report: Greece! Start Fresh (E777). www.youtube.com.
22. Dotcom . Kim . KimDotcom . 617085406702469120 . 3 July 2015 . My friends in Greece, Try the OXI stain remover to kill all debts. Fresh start guaranteed. Reboot Greece Vote #OXI http://t.co/SkfVs3K3CE . en . 29 December 2020.
23. Smith . John . Harryslaststand . 617325390600777728 . 4 July 2015 . In many ways if the #GreeceCrisis of 2015 isn't sorted properly it could be as destructive for Europe as the 1938 Munich Crisis. #VoteNO . en . 29 December 2020.
24. Web site: Gaffey . Conor . Greek Orthodox leader calls for 'Yes' vote in bailout referendum . Newsweek . 2 July 2015 . 5 July 2015.
25. Web site: Ρουβάς: Δέχθηκα bullying για το "ναι" στο δημοψήφισμα. 25 October 2016.
26. ΘΕΜΑ: Υποστήριξη των πολιτικών κομμάτων στα ερωτήματα του δημοψηφίσματος και στην συγκρότηση Επιτροπών του άρθρου 10 του ν. 4023/2011 . Ministry of the Interior and Administrative Reconstruction . Greek . 1 July 2015 . 5 July 2015 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150714213526/http://www.ypes.gr/UserFiles/f0ff9297-f516-40ff-a70e-eca84e2ec9b9/oeDiapPra-22478-010715.pdf . 14 July 2015 .
27. Web site: Μπίτσικα Παναγιώτα . Ο χάρτης με τις επιλογές κομμάτων και φορέων για το δημοψήφισμα – Πολιτικές ειδήσεις . To Vima . Greek . 1 July 2015 . 5 July 2015.
28. Web site: We do not choose the anti-people measures of the EU, IMF and government. 3 July 2015. 7 July 2015.
29. M-L KKE. Πραγματοποιήθηκε, στην Αθήνα, η συγκέντρωση του ΚΚΕ (μ-λ) και του Μ-Λ ΚΚΕ
30. OAKKE. Ανακοίνωση της ΚΕ της ΟΑΚΚΕ- Αποχή στο φασιστικό δημοψήφισμα- φάρσα της 5 Ιούλη
31. Web site: EU implementing its regime-change plan for Greece! . Workers Revolutionary Party . 3 July 2015 . 5 July 2015.
32. Web site: False choice in Greece . Morning Star . 29 June 2015 . 5 July 2015 . 5 July 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150705170346/http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/a-a6c7-False-choice-in-Greece . dead .
33. Web site: The People's Ballot | Greece Solidarity Campaign.