Mythologies of Independence and Self-Sufficiency: Far-Right Political Discourse on Environmental Issues in Greece in Relation to National Sovereignty and Security

Although far right political thought is typically insensitive to environmental issues, it is also very connected to the natural environment vis-à-vis identity. In recent years, far right politics have penetrated environmental concerns in order to promote intolerant aims and agendas. Greece is no exception to this rule. While far right parties have traditionally deprioritised environmental issues, they have occasionally incorporated selective environmental rhetoric to bolster their nationalist agendas. Post-crisis era, parliamentary, far right parties in Greece include environmental issues in their discourse in order to enforce arguments about national sovereignty and national security. The proposed research aims to explore how the current generation of far-right, populist political parties in Greece engage with environmental issues in the context of national sovereignty, national security, foreign affairs, economic nationalism, and economic independence. It aspires to analyse their environmental rhetoric (2019-2024), research the (mis)use of scientific information and conspiracy theories, and ultimately examine ways in which they blend environmental discourse with national sovereignty and security. Focusing on existing, parliamentary, far-right parties; Elliniki Lisi, Democratic Patriotic Movement "Niki", "Voice of Reason", and Spartans, the proposed research examines how environmental concerns are framed within broader nationalist, anti-globalisation, and anti-immigration discourses and structure their political position and discourse on national sovereignty and national security. For these parties, narratives surrounding the exploitation of natural resources, such as hydrocarbons in the Aegean and the Ionian Seas, are framed as essential for restoring Greek sovereignty and economic independence. These positions often oppose global climate initiatives, viewing them as threats to national interests and tools of foreign domination. Furthermore, far right environmental discourse in Greece reflects a form of eco-nationalism, where the preservation of natural resources and landscapes is linked to protecting the purity of the nation. At the same time, these movements reject migration, framing immigrants as contributors to environmental degradation and overpopulation.