Title

The Greek Orthodox Church as a veto player: How religion and national identity shape secular reform in Greece

Creator

Zolota, Effraimia

Abstract

The paper argues that the Greek Orthodox Church operates as a powerful societal veto player in modern Greek politics by informally shaping or blocking secular reforms that touch core aspects of Greek national identity. Drawing on Simon Fink’s framework of societal veto players, it shows how the Church leverages historically rooted constitutional privileges, cultural legitimacy, and close ties to key institutions such as the courts and public education. Through four case studies, religious education, cremation law, the ID card controversy, and same-sex marriage, the paper demonstrates that the Church combines legal action and mass mobilization to reframe liberal reforms as threats to “Greekness,” thereby constraining democratic secularization in an EU member state.

Keywords

politics & religion

secularism

Greek Orthodox Church

Date Available

May 28, 2026

Type

Oral presentation

Course

Politics & Religion

Session

Oral presentation

Location

Art Center Auditorium

Event

Year 2026 | 10th Annual Student Research and Creative Arts Symposium