Comments on: Greek election: The austerity parties have collapsed. This is the moment of truth for the left http://www.redpepper.org.uk/greek-election-analysis/ Red Pepper Wed, 18 Sep 2013 10:05:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.6.1 By: Matt http://www.redpepper.org.uk/greek-election-analysis/#comment-51197 Matt Wed, 09 May 2012 05:11:29 +0000 http://www.redpepper.org.uk/?p=7273#comment-51197 @Michael Kenny

Referring to the KKE as having a “fascist mentality” is a bit inappropriate given the advance of the actual fascists of Golden Dawn, about whom you had nothing to say. Are they not a concern? Is this – and the far right vote in general, a “problem” in the election result? Did not PASOK experience a collapse? “Syriza’s project is a pipedream. Syriza isn’t a party. It is a coalition of miniscule parties formed to get around the 3% barrier in the electoral law.” So? It doesn’t look like a “pipedream” in the election results. New parties are forged from miniscule grouplets. It is the symptom of overcoming traditional fragmentation on the left in the face of a crisis.

The blinkered perspective based on the cynicism that nothing will change leaves one breathless.

The proper description of the KKE behavior is “sectarian”, not “fascist”. In the present situation it is they who are in danger of being destroyed if they maintain their self imposed isolation.

]]> By: Michael Kenny http://www.redpepper.org.uk/greek-election-analysis/#comment-51109 Michael Kenny Tue, 08 May 2012 12:45:11 +0000 http://www.redpepper.org.uk/?p=7273#comment-51109 The election result was entirely in accordance with what the polls predicted. Percentages are all very well, but it’s parliamenatry seats that count and there, the present government has 149 seats, only 2 short of an absolute majority. Thus, the most likely outcome is the continuance of the Pasok-ND coalition, with a third party. At a guess, I would say Anel (“independent Greeks”) is the most likely. They are ND dissidents but opposed to austerity. Francois Hollande’s election means in practice that the austerity measures, which couldn’t be permanent anyway, are now going to be eased. That should give Anel enough room to join the government or at least support a minority government.
Although there is no contradiction between opposition to austerity and remaining in the eurozone, Syriza’s project is a pipedream. Syriza isn’t a party. It is a coalition of miniscule parties formed to get around the 3% barrier in the electoral law. Indeed, Dimar (“democratic left”) is itself a splinter group of one of the Syriza parties. Equally, the fascist mentality of the communists always clashes with the libertarian mentality of the far left and, as everywhere, the communists won’t join any coalition they can’t control and anything they can’t control, they try to destroy.
Thus, although the politicians of all shades will ham for the TV cameras and predict dire disasters if they don’t get their way, I don’t see any great problem in the election result.

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