Greece - the elections of the disillusionment

The elections of the 20th September 2015 will be remembered as the most apathetic of the last years in Greece.

After the enthusiasm of July for the referendum about the new agreement between Eu and Greece, the defeat of Tsipras has made mostly indifferent the population towards who will lead the Country in the next years.

Tsipras has won with more or less the same percentage (around 35%) Syriza got in the last elections in January. Also Golden Dawn and Nea Democratia reached a similar result.

The real winner has been the abstention. Just the 53% of the Greeks went to vote, one of the lowest result ever registered in the elections.

Is this surprising?

Of course not, for people who voted 5 times in the last 6 years with no effects of the policies imposed by Brussels.

The real problem in Europe is that the lost of sovereignty of the States (Greece first), doesn't really correspond to an increase of power of the only democratic European Institution. The Parliament, of course.

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The right to say NO

Yesterday Greeks decided. 

After many years of austerity that didn't bring any positive results in the economy and, overall, in the people life, Greeks have decided that was enough.

Celebrations in Syntagma Square (Athens)

It was enough to be oppressed by reforms that have made the Country much poorer that ten years ago. It was enough to be under a constant blackmail. It was enough to be considered the black sheep of Europe even after all the efforts done to respect what Europe wanted.

The result of the Greek referendum points out two political elements. The first is that asking people what they want, it is always the best way. Democracy works when it is really used. And in a community, people must be informed and must have the right to decide.

The second element is that Europe doesn't work at all. This vote is not a victory of Tsipras, it is the defeat of Brussels, the defeat of the IMF and overall, the defeat of the German idea of the European Union. 

And tomorrow? 

Greeks have been brave, as we don't know what will happen in the next weeks. They gave us a lesson: a small Country can decide its destiny also against the most important and powerful powers of the world. Let's hope that this vote will have positive effects on Greece and on the entire Europe.

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The default of Greece is the default of Europe

Once again all Europe is focused on Greek crisis.

After the failure of the negotiations between Greece and Eu , Athens have decided to ask directly the population about the new agreement proposed by Europe.

Is this a good decision?

Definitely yes.

First, a referendum is the most democratic instrument possible. Population must be involved in such a decision that, in a way or in the other, will deeply touch their lives.

Second, the choice made by the Greek government has put pressure on the European Institutions. If Greeks will vote against the agreement, the crisis that can born in Europe is unpredictable. 

The small Greece represents the paradox of an Europe that has completely forgot its values. 

This situation is just the result of the contradictions of the European States. They don't want a strong Europe, as they don't want to lose power. So the rules of the game are not clear and strong enough. 

Greece got huge benefits to be part of Europe, but now it is smashed between the pressure of Germany and France and the fear of the population.

Many years of austerity didn't change anything. The situation got worse and worse. And today we are still here, looking at the Cradle of the democracy, that can collapse together with the ideal of a Federal European Union.

One thing is sure: the imminent default of Greece is the default of all Europe. 

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Can Mustafa Akıncı be a new beginning for Cyprus?

Few weeks ago the Presidential Elections were held in the Turkish part of Cyprus. The winner has been Mustafa Akinci (68), former Major of the Turkish Municipality of Nicosia and Member of the Parliament.

Mustafa Akinci

Akinci is a "leftist moderate", as he described himself. During the electoral campaign, he promoted a fraternal but not submissive relation with Turkey (that contributes for one third of Northern Cyprus public balance) and a stronger collaboration with the Greek part of the Island.

Cyprus is currently divided in two parts by the "Green Line",  a demilitarized zone, patrolled by the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), that was established in 1974 following the Turkish invasion of the Country.

Cyprus is part of European Union since 2004 (at least the Greek part). And the capital, Nicosia, is the last city diveded by a wall in Europe. It is hard to believe that the Akinci election will bring to the reunification of the island. But let's be optimistic: it can be a new beginning for the Country, based on good relations between North and South.

We will see how Greece and Turkey will influence those relations.

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A new story?

Syriza Logo

Greece is a quite small Country: 11 million of people, a GDP of 180 billion Euro (11th in Eu), a public debt around 180% of GDP and an unemployment rate of 26% (the highest in Europe).

Can a Country depressed by years of austerity and weakened by social tensions, change the history of a Continent? After the elections of the 25th January, maybe yes.

The win of Syriza must be seen in two different perspectives. From the interior side, it is the first time in Greek recent history that a "third party" becomes the main political force beating PSOK and Nea Dimokratia. If the new Prime Minister Tsipras will be brave enough, he will be able to struggle with the corruption, result of a spoiled political system managed for decades by two parties and few families. 

From the external side, the Greek elections are the first (and probably not the last) in Europe that give power to an anti-austerity Party. This means that Eu (and Germany) will have to dialogue with Tsipras and this time it will be forced to listen his opinions. Even if it is too early to understand which will be the real effects of this situation in the future European economic policies, it is defineitely represents something new and positive.

The first public act of Tsipras has surprised the public opinion: the alliance with ANEL, the right and xenophobe Party. But it was probably the only available solution : even if the two new allies are ideologically very far, they are both against the austerity and this explains why To Potami (the new center-left political Party) wasn't suitable to support Tsipras Government for its softer position towards Troika.

Something is changing in Europe: the ECB has adopted a new position to fight the crisis and it seems that Germany is finally understanding the austerity is not a doable way anymore. At the political level, Paris and Rome are waiting to collaborate with Tsipras and press Berlin for less rigidity. Over all, another anti-austerity force, Podemos, could win the next elections in Spain. 

Let's be optimistic about the rest of the year.

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Can Greeks already welcome a Happy New Year?

The time has finally come in Athens. The impossibility to elect the President of the Republic by the Hellenic Parliament has caused the announcement of new elections in January 2015. 

Syriza is considered the winner of the next elections and many observers have written about the possible problems of a government leaded by Alexis Tsipras, who promises a renegotiation of the Memorandum with the Troika.

The Hellenic Parliament in Athens

Europe is scared by the result of the elections. But why?

There are two considerations to do. First, even if Syryza can win the elections, it is not automatic that Tsipras will be also able to create a government. It seems that the other parties are more inclined to keep the Memorandum than having contrasts with European Union and, especially, with Germany. On the other hand, it is improbable that Greece will be able to break the Memorandum or exit from Euro. Brussels and Berlin can keep quiet.

Second observation: as citizens of European Union, can we be satisfied about the management of the crisis in Greece as well as in the rest of Europe? The economic situation is not better than 5 years ago in Athens, the salaries are much lower, the unemployment is the highest in Europe. 

What can we expect from 2015? We can just hope that something will really change: we need a new vision of Europe, new ideas of how to solve the economic and social problems that are killing our generation in favor of few people that have the power and the privileges.

What Greece and Greeks are paying for the crisis is a shame for us. It is a shame for Brussels, as well as for Berlin and Paris.

After the announcement of new elections, Tsipras said that Greeks can already welcome a "Happy new year". Let's hope that it will be a real NEW year and not just the continuation of a sad and demoralizing past.

Happy 2015!

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