A group of around 50 people gathered at Parikia beach on Paros Island, Greece, on 3 September, media reports said. They carried a massive sign reading "Reclaim the Beach," and one man used a loudspeaker to recite sections of the Greek constitution, speaking about how the beaches belonged to the country's citizens. This event marked a significant moment in the ongoing "beach towel revolt" campaign, which seeks to restore free access to beaches taken over by beach bars and businesses charging high prices for sun loungers and umbrellas.

<h2>Origins of the protests</h2>

The "beach towel revolt" began in May 2023 on Paros Island when residents concerned about environmental issues realised that free spots for swimming and sunbathing were dwindling. Beachside businesses are required to obtain licences from the Greek finance minister to set up loungers and umbrellas, with regular checks to prevent exceeding their designated space.

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However, protesters claim that these checks are rarely conducted, resulting in a scarcity of free beach areas.

<h2>Spreading nationwide</h2>

The movement gained momentum, with the September 3 demonstration initiating a nationwide campaign. Multiple beach towel protests took place across different regions of Greece on the same day.

Demonstrations have since occurred on nearby islands such as Naxos and Crete, and as far as Rhodes, Aegina, and Attica (home to Athens). The choice of Paros Island, particularly its central village's main beach, holds special significance as a popular spot for locals.

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The protests resonate with many Greeks who continue to face financial challenges stemming from a decade-old debt crisis.

Greece's tourism industry is its largest, with 15 million visitors in 2021, surpassing the total population. Media reports quoting critics argue that the tourism boom has lacked proper management, with local municipalities unable to control visitor flows.

Recent governments have promoted Greece as a sun and sea destination, facilitating foreign investment in tourism-related ventures, but oversight has been lacking, the reports said.&nbsp;

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The protests have garnered attention, prompting authorities to inspect one of Paros's most affected beaches, which had been overrun by unauthorized sun loungers. Consequently, the beach is now free of such loungers. However, the situation remains unchanged on many other beaches.&nbsp;

Despite the end of the summer peak season, campaigners consider the September protests as just the beginning, as per media reports.

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A group of around 50 people gathered at Parikia beach on Paros Island, Greece, on 3 September, media reports said. They carried a massive sign reading "Reclaim the Beach," and one man used a loudspeaker to recite sections of the Greek constitution, speaking about how the beaches belonged to the country's citizens.

A group of around 50 people gathered at Parikia beach on Paros Island, Greece, on 3 September, media reports said. They carried a massive sign reading "Reclaim the Beach," and one man used a loudspeaker to recite sections of the Greek constitution, speaking about how the beaches belonged to the country's citizens. This event marked a significant moment in the ongoing "beach towel revolt" campaign, which seeks to restore free access to beaches taken over by beach bars and businesses charging high prices for sun loungers and umbrellas. Origins of the protests The "beach towel revolt" began in May 2023 on Paros Island when residents concerned about environmental issues realised that free spots for swimming and sunbathing were dwindling. Beachside businesses are required to obtain licences from the Greek finance minister to set up loungers and umbrellas, with regular checks to prevent exceeding their designated space. Also Read | Tragic shooting at Louisiana high school leaves student dead and another in custody However, protesters claim that these checks are rarely conducted, resulting in a scarcity of free beach areas. Spreading nationwide The movement gained momentum, with the September 3 demonstration initiating a nationwide campaign. Multiple beach towel protests took place across different regions of Greece on the same day. Demonstrations have since occurred on nearby islands such as Naxos and Crete, and as far as Rhodes, Aegina, and Attica (home to Athens). The choice of Paros Island, particularly its central village's main beach, holds special significance as a popular spot for locals. Also Read | Ukraine missile attack causes fire at Crimean shipyard, damaging 2 ships, says Russia The protests resonate with many Greeks who continue to face financial challenges stemming from a decade-old debt crisis. Greece's tourism industry is its largest, with 15 million visitors in 2021, surpassing the total population. Media reports quoting critics argue that the tourism boom has lacked proper management, with local municipalities unable to control visitor flows. Recent governments have promoted Greece as a sun and sea destination, facilitating foreign investment in tourism-related ventures, but oversight has been lacking, the reports said. Watch | Apple iPhone 15 Event: Most exciting takeaways from the Apple launch event × The protests have garnered attention, prompting authorities to inspect one of Paros's most affected beaches, which had been overrun by unauthorized sun loungers. Consequently, the beach is now free of such loungers. However, the situation remains unchanged on many other beaches. Despite the end of the summer peak season, campaigners consider the September protests as just the beginning, as per media reports. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

'Beach towel revolt' sweeps Greece as locals reclaim their beaches from wealthy tourists

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/polls-open-in-greeces-first-post-bailout-general-election-233710">Greeks head to the polls on Sunday</a> in a snap ballot that could bring an end to Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras's leftist government.

Here are five things to know about the vote, the third in Greece since May following European and local elections.

Greeks likely to abstain

Greece's third election in as many months is unlikely to set participation records, even more so as July 7 is right at the heart of the busy tourist season.

Voting is officially compulsory in Greece and abstention is theoretically punishable by law, but the penalty is never applied.

In May, fewer than 59 per cent of registered voters cast their ballots for the European Parliament and the first round of local and regional elections. A week later, participation fell below 42 per cent for the second round.

Will there be a stable government?

The memory of political instability in Greece at the height of the economic crisis is still recent. In 2011, the government collapsed and a few months later, back-to-back elections had to be held before a coalition administration could be pieced together.

The current electoral law gives a 50-seat bonus to the winning party, in principle enough to form a majority in the 300-seat parliament.

But if more than six parties enter parliament -- which is a possibility -- the winner may end up with a majority of just a few seats.

The conservative New Democracy party is heavily favoured to win, after a near-sweep in regional elections and a victory margin of over nine points in European parliament elections.

In that case, the conservatives could govern alone or alongside the socialist Kinal party in a repeat of the 2012 coalition.

But if the July 7 election fails to produce a government, a new electoral law will kick in without the 50-seat bonus, making uneasy alliances imperative.

Parties need at least three per cent of the vote to enter parliament.

Communists vote, rain or shine

The Communist KKE party, which turned 100 last year, has some of the country's most faithful supporters. It picked up 302,000 votes in the European Parliament elections, nearly the same amount garnered in national elections four years ago.

They also secured the re-election of a Communist mayor in Patras, Greece's third largest city.

Shifting sands of far-right

After a near-decade rise to the ranks of Greece's third most popular party, the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn suffered major losses in the last two voting campaigns, shedding half its electoral support.

Into the gap stepped Greek Solution, a new nationalist, pro-Russian party formed by journalist and TV salesman Kyriakos Velopoulos.

Out of the blue, Greek Solution won 4.18 per cent of the vote and a seat in the European parliament.

A former far-right lawmaker, Velopoulos scored well especially in the north of the country, where there is anger at Tsipras's deal with Macedonian prime minister Zoran Zaev to rename the neighbouring country North Macedonia.

Velopoulos has made no secret of his desire to attract Golden Dawn voters. Together, the two parties account for around nine per cent of the Greek electorate.

Crisis gloom&nbsp;

Greece is struggling to recover from a near-decade-long debt crisis and a deep six-year recession. It emerged from its third straight bailout last year, but with a public debt of over 180 per cent of output, it remains under strict supervision by its EU and IMF creditors.

Greeks head to the polls on Sunday in a snap ballot that could bring an end to Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras's leftist government. Here are five things to know about the vote, the third in Greece since May following European and local elections.

Greeks head to the polls on Sunday in a snap ballot that could bring an end to Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras's leftist government. Here are five things to know about the vote, the third in Greece since May following European and local elections. Greeks likely to abstain Greece's third election in as many months is unlikely to set participation records, even more so as July 7 is right at the heart of the busy tourist season. Voting is officially compulsory in Greece and abstention is theoretically punishable by law, but the penalty is never applied. In May, fewer than 59 per cent of registered voters cast their ballots for the European Parliament and the first round of local and regional elections. A week later, participation fell below 42 per cent for the second round. Will there be a stable government? The memory of political instability in Greece at the height of the economic crisis is still recent. In 2011, the government collapsed and a few months later, back-to-back elections had to be held before a coalition administration could be pieced together. The current electoral law gives a 50-seat bonus to the winning party, in principle enough to form a majority in the 300-seat parliament. But if more than six parties enter parliament -- which is a possibility -- the winner may end up with a majority of just a few seats. The conservative New Democracy party is heavily favoured to win, after a near-sweep in regional elections and a victory margin of over nine points in European parliament elections. In that case, the conservatives could govern alone or alongside the socialist Kinal party in a repeat of the 2012 coalition. But if the July 7 election fails to produce a government, a new electoral law will kick in without the 50-seat bonus, making uneasy alliances imperative. Parties need at least three per cent of the vote to enter parliament. Communists vote, rain or shine The Communist KKE party, which turned 100 last year, has some of the country's most faithful supporters. It picked up 302,000 votes in the European Parliament elections, nearly the same amount garnered in national elections four years ago. They also secured the re-election of a Communist mayor in Patras, Greece's third largest city. Shifting sands of far-right After a near-decade rise to the ranks of Greece's third most popular party, the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn suffered major losses in the last two voting campaigns, shedding half its electoral support. Into the gap stepped Greek Solution, a new nationalist, pro-Russian party formed by journalist and TV salesman Kyriakos Velopoulos. Out of the blue, Greek Solution won 4.18 per cent of the vote and a seat in the European parliament. A former far-right lawmaker, Velopoulos scored well especially in the north of the country, where there is anger at Tsipras's deal with Macedonian prime minister Zoran Zaev to rename the neighbouring country North Macedonia. Velopoulos has made no secret of his desire to attract Golden Dawn voters. Together, the two parties account for around nine per cent of the Greek electorate. Crisis gloom Greece is struggling to recover from a near-decade-long debt crisis and a deep six-year recession. It emerged from its third straight bailout last year, but with a public debt of over 180 per cent of output, it remains under strict supervision by its EU and IMF creditors.

Five things to know about Greece's July 7 vote

Tens of thousands of Greeks rallied in Athens on Sunday to protest against a deal with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia that settles a row between the two countries and is set for a vote in Greece's parliament next week.

Soon after the rally started at 1200 GMT, police fired tear gas to disperse protesters outside parliament as demonstrators chanted Macedonia is Greek and waved Greek flags.

The rally was one of the biggest demonstrations in Athens, over the Macedonia name agreement.

Many Greeks believe the name Macedonia implies a territorial claim over their country's own northern region of that name.

The issue evokes strong emotions among Greeks who consider Macedonia, the ancient kingdom ruled by Alexander the Great, to be an integral part of their homeland and heritage.

The accord clinched between Athens and Skopje was ratified by Macedonia’s parliament this month. Greek parliamentary endorsement is a necessary step for the tiny Balkan nation to start the process to join the European Union and NATO.

Tens of thousands of Greeks rallied in Athens on Sunday to protest against a deal with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia that settles a row between the two countries and is set for a vote in Greece's parliament next week.

Tens of thousands of Greeks rallied in Athens on Sunday to protest against a deal with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia that settles a row between the two countries and is set for a vote in Greece's parliament next week. Soon after the rally started at 1200 GMT, police fired tear gas to disperse protesters outside parliament as demonstrators chanted Macedonia is Greek and waved Greek flags. The rally was one of the biggest demonstrations in Athens, over the Macedonia name agreement. Many Greeks believe the name Macedonia implies a territorial claim over their country's own northern region of that name. The issue evokes strong emotions among Greeks who consider Macedonia, the ancient kingdom ruled by Alexander the Great, to be an integral part of their homeland and heritage. The accord clinched between Athens and Skopje was ratified by Macedonia’s parliament this month. Greek parliamentary endorsement is a necessary step for the tiny Balkan nation to start the process to join the European Union and NATO.

Greeks rally against Macedonia name accord, police fire tear gas

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