Syriza and the Demise (and Revival?) of Social Democracy in Europe

This paper will trace the emergence of Syriza from what was a loose fringe movement into a mainstream and now governing political party, describing its successes throughout the crisis context in Greece.  It will suggest that its ongoing success as a political phenomenon in Greece speaks to the inherent weakness of mainstream social democratic parties more broadly in the contemporary EU; their inability to absorb the popular anger that we have witnessed in crisis context.  Indeed, the demise of PASOK (the mainstream social democrats) in Greece offers a salutary tale for mainstream social democrats in Europe more generally.  The question remains whether these new parties of the left will contribute to the Europeanisation of the debate on progressive politics in Europe (or whether they will turn away from Europe).  Syriza's success has, to date, clearly contributed to this process of Europeanization, but it is a fragile one in the context of the broader confrontation with a neoliberal agenda in Europe.