Greek election - January 25th 2015

[politicus]

It's official: ANEL is entering a coalition with SYRIZA

Edit- reports are that Tsipras will also be speaking with Potami and KKE as well

"An agreement in principle"

http://www.thetoc.gr/eng/politics/article/independent-greeks-and-syriza-to-form-government

Not 100% sure what to make of this, but I think it will be a trainwreck.

Much clearer here:

“from this moment on there is a government in the country. The Independent Greeks give a vote of confidence. The Prime Minister will go the President of the Republic and announce the government formation”

"Mr. Tsipras is also scheduled to meet with the leader of The River Stavros Theodorakis on Monday afternoon, in order to discuss the possibility of the newly-formed party to support the coalition government efforts. Mr. Tsipras is also rumored to ask to meet with the Communist Party’s general secretary Dimitris Koutsoumpas, who announced that his party would support any pro-people measures that SYRIZA proposes."

http://www.tovima.gr/en/article/?aid=670803

[Philip Weisler]

Yep, just read about it on Greekreporter: http://greece.greekreporter.com/2015/01/26/greece-greek-coalition-new-government-alexis-tsipras/. Funny how some of our ''unquestionable experts'' were just some days ago categorically arguing that SYRIZA will never ever form a coalition with ''teh bad rightist'' ANEL. Just look at some pages backwards  ;-)

Even if they eventually fail to form a coalition the fact that they started consultations immediately after the election says something.

It's official: ANEL is entering a coalition with SYRIZA

Edit- reports are that Tsipras will also be speaking with Potami and KKE as well

[Bacon King]

It's looking likely that ANEL won't directly enter government themselves- but their support allows Tsipras to prove to the President his government will have the confidence of Parliament.

[politicus]

It's looking likely that ANEL won't directly enter government themselves- but their support allows Tsipras to prove to the President his government will have the confidence of Parliament.

I really hope so. Tovima speculates about ANEL taking over shipping matters etc. as if it would be an actual coalition government.

[Bacon King]

Greek stock exchange didn't like waking up to a SYRIZA victory, but they like that the new government found a majority before lunch:

http://mobile.bloomberg.com/quote/ASE:IND

Edit- never mind, looks like the market's in free fall again! Will be interesting to watch this alongside all the breaking news today

[politicus]

The international media use phrases as "looks to have formed a government"..

[Beezer]

So where exactly are the similarities between Syriza and ANEL other than that they disapprove of the troika? This almost feels like a coalition between the Left Party and AfD here in Germany.

[politicus]

Tsipras to meet Greek president Karolos Papoulias at 3.30pm, will submit the names of his cabinet.

Syriza MP Dragasakis to become Deputy PM overlooking the Finance & Economy Ministries and leading negotiations with the Eurozone. Yanis Varaufakis as finance minister.

[Bacon King]

So where exactly are the similarities between Syriza and ANEL other than that they disapprove of the troika? This almost feels like a coalition between the Left Party and AfD here in Germany.

They find common ground on most anti-establishment stuff. They're both anti-austerity, anti-corruption outsiders who use "neoliberal" as a curse word. Besides that, not much.

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

Tsipras has promised not to enter coalition with others than KKE. If he breaks that promise he risks defections from his left wing (which will be bigger than any potential coalition partner), so it wont be worth it.

If KKE says no, and the only way to obtain a majority is through To Potami or ANEL, he will break the promise.

Bam! Hate to say I told you so... (/Yes I am an insufferable person)
He didn't even wait for KKE to say no. ^^

[Bacon King]

Tsipras to be sworn in at 4pm local time

Also I think the whole "I only want a coalition with KKE" was mostly just a (fairly succesful) ploy to win a big chunk of KKE voters. I'm wary about the risk of a revolt from the left but if Tsipras has kept them united this far I'm sure he can hold his keep his party together now. No SYRIZA MP is going to want to be the guy who caused austerity to stay

[politicus]

Tsipras has promised not to enter coalition with others than KKE. If he breaks that promise he risks defections from his left wing (which will be bigger than any potential coalition partner), so it wont be worth it.

If KKE says no, and the only way to obtain a majority is through To Potami or ANEL, he will break the promise.

Bam! Hate to say I told you so... (/Yes I am an insufferable person)
He didn't even wait for KKE to say no. ^^

Well, the problem I pointed out still exists. We do not know exactly how many of the new MPs that are Left Platform, but it is about 25% of the party and they will be alienated from the start. This is going to be a trainwreck.

Also, you obviously love to say "I told you so" Don't be a hypocrite.

I always assumed Syriza would be pragmatic when it came to coalition partner if they really needed a lot of seats (although I thought they would try Potami first), but not in a 148-149 scenario. This seems like an unnecessary gamble with possibly 30-40 left wingers among the MPs.

[Landslide Lyndon]

So where exactly are the similarities between Syriza and ANEL other than that they disapprove of the troika? This almost feels like a coalition between the Left Party and AfD here in Germany.

Nowhere. ANEL is a far-right party: anti-immigrant, anti-semitic, pro-church and very much pro-law-and-order.
It will be a travesty of a government that won't last long, for better or worse.

[Bacon King]

So where exactly are the similarities between Syriza and ANEL other than that they disapprove of the troika? This almost feels like a coalition between the Left Party and AfD here in Germany.

Nowhere. ANEL is a far-right party: anti-immigrant, anti-semitic, pro-church and very much pro-law-and-order.
It will be a travesty of a government that won't last long, for better or worse.

Who did you vote for px?

[Landslide Lyndon]

So where exactly are the similarities between Syriza and ANEL other than that they disapprove of the troika? This almost feels like a coalition between the Left Party and AfD here in Germany.

Nowhere. ANEL is a far-right party: anti-immigrant, anti-semitic, pro-church and very much pro-law-and-order.
It will be a travesty of a government that won't last long, for better or worse.

Who did you vote for px?

Kinima. But of course Papandreou is much too sane and serious for a joke country like Greece.

[politicus]

So where exactly are the similarities between Syriza and ANEL other than that they disapprove of the troika? This almost feels like a coalition between the Left Party and AfD here in Germany.

Nowhere. ANEL is a far-right party: anti-immigrant, anti-semitic, pro-church and very much pro-law-and-order.
It will be a travesty of a government that won't last long, for better or worse.

Who did you vote for px?

Kinima. But of course Papandreou is much too sane and serious for a joke country like Greece.

1) Do you think Syriza would have chosen Kinima if they had gotten in? (I doubt it, but curious)

2) What do you think happens after this government collapses?

[Bacon King]

One more question px, what is up with EK almost polling 2%? My understanding is that it's the personal vehicle of a Moderate Hero perennial candidate who was a PASOK MP like thirty years ago. Was there a high profile campaign or something?

[Landslide Lyndon]

So where exactly are the similarities between Syriza and ANEL other than that they disapprove of the troika? This almost feels like a coalition between the Left Party and AfD here in Germany.

Nowhere. ANEL is a far-right party: anti-immigrant, anti-semitic, pro-church and very much pro-law-and-order.
It will be a travesty of a government that won't last long, for better or worse.

Who did you vote for px?

Kinima. But of course Papandreou is much too sane and serious for a joke country like Greece.

1) Do you think Syriza would have chosen Kinima if they had gotten in? (I doubt it, but curious)

2) What do you think happens after this government collapses?

1)No. The Left here in Greece have a visceral hate for Papandreou, just like they had for his father and grandfather. Much more for George whom they consider responsible for the bankruptcy and the subsequent austerity.

2)Only God knows. Unfortunately, I think things will get worse before they get better. Unless of course Tsipras or Merkel surprise us pleasantly.

One more question px, what is up with EK almost polling 2%? My understanding is that it's the personal vehicle of a Moderate Hero perennial candidate who was a PASOK MP like thirty years ago. Was there a high profile campaign or something?

He is not a moderate hero, he is a joke candidate, a man with clear mental issues. People voted for him as a protest for/to our political system.

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

Well, the problem I pointed out still exists. We do not know exactly how many of the new MPs that are Left Platform, but it is about 25% of the party and they will be alienated from the start. This is going to be a trainwreck.

Also, you obviously love to say "I told you so" Don't be a hypocrite.

I always assumed Syriza would be pragmatic when it came to coalition partner if they really needed a lot of seats (although I thought they would try Potami first), but not in a 148-149 scenario. This seems like an unnecessary gamble with possibly 30-40 left wingers among the MPs.

I also think Potami would have been a better choice as they are more close on matters not relating to the troika, but who still isn't tainted by the unpopularity of the current government. Syriza and Anel will obviously run into trouble agreeing on policy quite fast.

Still, I would expect Tsipras to have enough political savvy to know if this would cause mass defections from his caucus, so I don't think, initially at least, that that part will turn out to be a problem. Let's not forget that he is one of few leaders who managed to keep all his MPs through the last parliament.

(And yes, I do love it. )    

[politicus]

I would expect Tsipras to have enough political savvy to know if this would cause mass defections from his caucus, so I don't think, initially at least, that that part will turn out to be a problem. Let's not forget that he is one of few leaders who managed to keep all his MPs through the last parliament.
 

There is a big difference between being in opposition and in government - and at some point they will need to address non-austerity related matters.

[Bacon King]

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Actually the only one

[politicus]

If you see any bookies offering bets on Syriza defections within the first six months let me know.

[politicus]

Tsipras will break the tradition by not being sworn in by the head of Greece’s orthodox church, Archbishop Ieronymos.

[Landslide Lyndon]

If you see any bookies offering bets on Syriza defections within the first six months let me know.

It's the surest bet you can take. Let's see first whom he proposes for President.

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

Tsipras will break the tradition by not being sworn in by the head of Greece’s orthodox church, Archbishop Ieronymos.

Pissing off ANEL before he even gets started?