Greece parliamentary election - September 20, 2015

[DavidB.]

[DavidB.]

He just announced his resignation.

Can't think of a government term that has failed worse than Tsipras'. Won the elections as the new Greek king with all kinds of promises, went on a tour through Europe as if he's Lady Gaga, and then got zero respect in the EU. Promised to change things, promised to make lives better, promised Greece not to be humiliated anymore, yet a few months later he staunchly defended the biggest austerity package Greece has ever seen. Books will be written about this U-turn. I thought I understood his strategy when he called the referendum: let the people decide to leave the eurozone, and then start again at point zero. I think he realized that the consequences would be too risky for Greece, that the consequences would hurt too many people - but he realized it too late. Of course, it was an even bigger mistake to think the other EU countries would show some compassion. I think of Tsipras as a person who genuinely wanted to do good, but who found out that reality sometimes doesn't work that way, even if it should. The "Syriza experience" will probably be another blow to many Greeks, who wanted change. This will make even more Greeks cynical about democracy, which deeply saddens me (and which will come with political consequences absolutely nobody will like). There are no winners, only losers in this story.

[DavidB.]

Another poll :

Syriza 23
ND 19.5
XA 6.5
KKE 5
Pasok 4.5
Potami 4
LAE 3.5
EK 3
Anel 2
Others 3.5
Undecided 25.5

Well that's underwhelming for pretty much everybody.

Yeah, but undecideds are normally not included as a specific category, so this poll is pretty worthless.

[DavidB.]

Im still waiting for greeks to find money out of their buttocks to "END AUSTERITY" just by voting to do so.

They already did. Two times this year: in a general election and in a referendum.

ND offers to form a national government with Syriza if they win - but without Tsipras.

greece.greekreporter.com/2015/09/06/greek-main-opposition-leader-proposes-a-coalition-govt-with-syriza/

BUMP

No comments to this?

It basically destroys Syrizas last hope. Among other things many won't care about who gets the bonus now.

This is horrible. I don't care for the future of Syriza or ND, but I do care for Greece's future as a democracy and such a coalition would be highly instrumental in disappointing as many Greeks as possible with democracy. It would give rise to ugly movements on the ends of the political landscape that will influence Greece's already dark future for the absolute worst.

[DavidB.]

So Syriza and ND have become moderate heroes, and the Greek people thought "not another election" and stayed home or voted for these moderate heroes because they are sane enough not to vote for the horribles XA/KKE. I commend them for that - this could have become a disaster. The situation is still hopeless, but my hopes for the future of Greece's democracy have gone up. It's a shame the Syriza splitoff didn't manage to get in.

[DavidB.]

I would have hoped SYRIZA would ally with Potami (or even PASOK) rather than ANEL now that they've lost their radical side. It would at least have enabled them to cut their military spending. This election was a waste of money, all things considered.

Spending 2% of one's GDP on Defense is a NATO requirement. Even if most Western European countries are stupid enough not to care about this bare minimum, I don't think it would be good for Greece to ignore this agreement and cut down on their military spending.

[DavidB.]

Greece's military is 2.2% of GDP, Canada spends 1.0% of GDP. I think Greece has better reason than Canada to ignore that requirement.

Two wrongs wouldn't make a right, and I'm not at all okay with Canada ignoring the bare NATO minimum (and I am very much ashamed of the fact that the Netherlands ignores it as well). Canada should absolutely go to 2.0% and Greece should at least maintain 2.0% as well, though if it's truly at 2.2% - which is news to me, but it could be the case - then it can cut back on these 0.2%. But I wouldn't support Europe pushing Greece to do so. A capable Greek military is in the interest of all of NATO.