Crisis and reform in Greece: a theoretical discussion on the domestic policy environment

Abstract

This article examines the domestic reform environment in Greece during the Eurozone crisis and explores how it affected the policy implementation process. It provides an integrated theoretical approach by combining the elements of the Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF) and the Narrative Policy Framework (NPF). The ACF and NPF prove useful in explaining the tumultuous implementation of the three memoranda in Greece. The pro-memorandum/pro-change coalition emerged weak in Greece and was destined to fall apart in a short time due to its failure to employ effective narrative strategies. On the other hand, the status-quo coalition and its belief system emerged stronger by utilizing effective narrative strategies. These factors resulted in a lack of broader social and political consensus regarding the necessity of reforms during the initial phase of the crisis, ultimately leading to a continuous cycle of disarray and external conditionality.