Πλεύση Ελευθερίας / Plefsi Eleftherías (Course of Freedom)
EU RANK: 120 (Tier 3: Moderate Performance)
Course of Freedom is a left‑populist, anti‑memorandum party founded by former SYRIZA Speaker Zoe Konstantopoulou, combining nationalist rhetoric on sovereignty with strong criticism of Greece’s debt settlements, EU institutions and domestic elites. It has a small but visible parliamentary presence, positioning itself as a defender of “popular sovereignty” against both New Democracy and the traditional left.
Disinformation and alternative media
The party depends heavily on social media, YouTube broadcasts and sympathetic alternative outlets that highlight alleged “betrayals” of the Greek people by mainstream parties and foreign creditors. Its messaging frequently uses dramatic language about “occupation” by lenders and rigged institutions, and some content has been criticised for conspiratorial framing, though there is limited evidence of large‑scale fabrication of specific facts. Traditional TV and major newspapers give it more marginal coverage, reinforcing its reliance on parallel information networks. Disinformation/alternative media DMI risk is moderate.
Foreign influence and external alignments
Course of Freedom is strongly critical of the EU’s fiscal regime and sceptical of NATO but focuses mainly on Greek sovereignty rather than alignment with any specific foreign power. Available litigation and finance material from 2015–2025 do not show structural funding from hostile governments; the party’s external contacts are mostly with other Eurosceptic and anti‑austerity forces. However, its narrative of Western economic “occupation” can intersect with messaging promoted by non‑Western powers that seek to weaken EU cohesion. Foreign influence DMI risk is moderate.
Media capture, advertising and public service media
Given its small size and outsider status, Course of Freedom has no structural leverage over ERT governance or major private broadcasters. It does not own significant media assets and uses modest advertising budgets, relying instead on low‑cost online dissemination and public events. There is no indication that it has attempted to steer state advertising or appointments to influence editorial lines. Media capture, advertising and PSB‑control DMI risk is low.
Corruption, litigation and institutional integrity
The party’s leadership is prominently involved in litigation challenging bailout agreements, property auctions and aspects of Greece’s implementation of EU law, but these cases concern constitutional interpretation rather than corruption. Open records up to 2025 do not document major scandals involving illicit funding, procurement fraud or clientelist networks centred on Course of Freedom. Its funding base consists mainly of public subsidies, membership contributions and small private donations under Greece’s reporting rules. DMI corruption and institutional integrity risk is low.
Press freedom, harassment and treatment of media
Course of Freedom frequently denounces mainstream media as controlled by oligarchs and hostile to popular interests, yet it also calls for protections for whistle‑blowers and investigative journalism against economic and political pressure. While the rhetoric toward major outlets is often harsh, there is no established pattern of orchestrated harassment campaigns, physical intimidation, or SLAPP‑type lawsuits against individual journalists. Overall, its confrontational stance targets media ownership structures more than journalistic work itself. Press freedom and harassment DMI risk is moderate (coded as low to moderate).
| Dimension | Risk level | Short justification |
|---|---|---|
| Disinformation & alternative media | Moderate | Strong reliance on alternative and social media; uses conspiratorial framings about “occupation” and betrayal, though large‑scale fabrication is not well documented. |
| Foreign influence & external alignments | Moderate | Harshly critical of EU/NATO and bailout regime; no hostile‑state funding shown, but narratives can overlap with interests of external powers seeking EU fragmentation. |
| Media capture & advertising / PSB control | Low | Small, outsider party without control over ERT or big private media; minimal advertising, no capture attempts recorded. |
| Corruption & institutional integrity risk | Low | Litigation focuses on constitutional and bailout issues, not corruption; no major illicit‑funding or graft cases recorded. |
| Press freedom & harassment of media | Moderate | Aggressively criticises “oligarchic” media but lacks systematic harassment or legal intimidation of journalists; mixed but not high‑risk record. |