A coalition for Greece or the Troika?
From all the available
reports, it seems that after weeks of confusion and uncertainty, the
Greek people will finally have a government. PASOK have agreed
with New Democracy, to form a coalition which may include the
moderate Democratic Left. The irony of this solution will not be lost
on the Greeks or anyone else. The two parties, New Democracy and PASOK
who have been the government of Greece for around 40 years, and who
are responsible for negotiating with the Germans and the Eurozone,
the most draconian package of austerity measures and cuts in exchange
for a 130 billion Euro bailout which was poured straight down
the drain directly into the banks, and did nothing for the Greek
unemployed, the homeless, the pensioners who rummage in dustbins for
food or any of the other consequences resulting from the previous
governments duplicity. It is difficult to conceive how the scenes on
the streets of Athens and other cities across Greece can exist in
Europe in the 21st Century. However that is the reality of
life today in Greece and may well be the case in other European
countries in the not too distant future.
In contrast, the
“markets”, the Eurozone banks, European leaders and the “Troika”
are relieved that the prospect of a Syriza government has been
averted and with the reiteration from Chancellor Merkel, that Greece
will not be allowed to dodge its austerity agreement and there will
be no renegotiation of the terms, the status quo has been maintained
at least in the short term. The question of course is where can the
new government go to, if in the event that they are unable to gain
any concessions from Merkel and the Troika, and they are faced with
imposing the already detailed austerity measures together with even
more (if that can be possible) austerity on the people of Greece,
when as will inevitably be the case, the next tranche of bailout money
is required.
It is interesting to note
that amongst all the speculation, comment and euphoria in today's
media coverage of the events in Greece, there is precious little, if
anything, on the effects that the election results will have on
ordinary people in Greece.
It seems that in
the view of the media, Merkel and the Troika, the markets and the
Euro project are infinitely more important than people.
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