The Greek Communist Youth "Rigas Feraios" (Greek: Ελληνική Κομμουνιστική Νεολαία «Ρήγας Φεραίος», abbreviated EKON Rigas Feraios, ΕΚΟΝ Ρήγας Φεραίος) was a communist youth organization in Greece. The organization was baptized after Rigas Feraios, a national hero from the Greek War of Independence.[1] EKON Rigas Feraios was the youth wing of the Communist Party of Greece (Interior) and formed the backbone of the party.[2] Rather than being merely a front of the mother party, the Rigas Feraios youth organization exercised significant influence over the party.[2][3] At its peak, EKON Rigas Feraios had some 15,000-17,000 members.[3]
The Rigas Feraios youth organization was established in 1967, shortly after the beginning of the Regime of the Colonels.[1] It was the first illegal youth organization to emerge after the coup.[4] The organization succeeded the now defunct Lambrakis Democratic Youth (DNL), the founders of Rigas Feraios had belonged to DNL.[4][5] Rigas Feraios members were active in organizing resistance to the new regime, distributing leaflets and painting anti-junta graffiti around the country.[5] By September 18, 1968 many Rigas Feraios organizers had been arrested by the junta.[5] On October 29, 1968 the Rigas Feraios leadership was put on trial. The defendants were sentenced to jail, with sentences ranging from 5 to 21 years.[5] A failed attempt to initiate low-scale armed struggle was launched in , with the formation of the 'Aris-Rigas Feraios' armed group.[5]
The Rigas Feraios organization aligned with the New Left, although influenced by Eurocommunism.[5] As the Communist Party of Greece split in 1968, Rigas Feraios became increasingly tied to the Communist Party of Greece (Interior).[5] Rigas Feraios, which took a critical stance of the Soviet Union, would now compete with the pro-Soviet Communist Youth of Greece (KNE) over the influence of the leftwing youth movement in the country.[6] By 1972 Rigas Feraios was the largest youth organization, although KNE eventually outgrew it.[5] EKON Rigas Feraios had a key role in organizing the November 1973 Athens Polytechnic uprising against the military junta.[1] The student wing of EKON Rigas Feraios was known as 'Democratic Struggle-Democratic Unity' (DA-DE).[6] In 1974 DA-DE won 14.6% of the national student vote, in 1975 16.42%, in 1976 17.52%, in 1977 20.94% and in 1978 in 16.7%.[6]
During the 1970s EKON Rigas Feraios underwent period of internal strife, which ended up in a formal split in 1978 as the minority wing formed the B Panelladiki.[6] The influence of EKON Rigas Feraios declined towards the end of the 1970s.[6] In 1979, DA-DE won 7.5% of the national student vote. In 1980 it obtained 8.9% and in 1981 10.1%.[6]
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