Comments on: SYRIZA: Building on the democracy of the square

By: J_750

J_750 — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 02:52:31 +0000

There was a limit to how far Tsipras could reasonably go and still attract the support Syriza needed. It was very close and although Syriza came short their rise has really been the story of the election.

The situation in Greece is dire. There’s no doubt fear was a factor in how the vote played out. The fear factor certainly figured into the outcome of the Irish referendum on the fiscal treaty.

Democracy is under threat but survival concerns are a priority for many… it remains to be seen at what price.

By: Michael Kenny

Michael Kenny — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 20:23:31 +0000

As the author correctly points out Syriza is no danger to the EU. It does not challenge Greece’s EU membership or even Greece’s use of the euro. Tsipras has been to France and Germany and has received the “benediction” of those countries’ leaders. There has, though, been a concerted campaign in (in particular) the British media to use Syriza as “useful idiots” to destroy the euro or at very least, stampede Greece out of it, but I don,t believe either Greek voters or the Syriza leadership are so stupid that they would let themselves be manipulated in that way. Through the low value of the euro, Greece has generated an ongoing boom for the eurozone, but that low euro is a disaster for Britain. If Britain cannot destroy the euro or stampede Greece out of it, causing its value to soar, Britain will probably be forced to take the first step towards adopting the euro itself, namely, the laying down of a fixed exchange rate, as Denmark and Switzwerland have already done. That explains, I think, the almost hysterical British press campaign.

By: Jordi Salvat i Alabart

Jordi Salvat i Alabart — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 13:52:40 +0000

Well said!

I just hope that the Greek voters don’t allow themselves to be frightened by the powers of the central-european plutocracy.

Democracy in Europe has been shrinking more and more, ever since Felipe Gonzalez similarly (and successfully, alas!) scared my fellow Spanish voters into voting for joining NATO.

It is time someone puts the people back in front of the moneys and begins the restoration of democracy in Europe. I wish I had a Tsipras to vote for here in Spain.