Greek Election Too Close To Call

CLAPTON

lvader wrote: »

Why should they?, although they may have been compelled to say "Good the world as we know it will not end this month."

People still don't understand that things like QE and bailouts aren't there to make things better, they are there to stop things from getting much worse.

clearly things are getting worse;
in greece the economy is going downhill, unemployment is still rising, hpsotals are running out of medicines, tourism is collapsing, debts are still growing and lending thm more money without any meaningful steps to reverse economic decline is pretty useless

FTBFun

Generali wrote: »

How is the EU Neo-Liberal? They are hugely interventionist.

Neo-liberal is just another buzzword used by people who can't be arsed to argue properly.

pqrdef

ChiefGrasscutter wrote: »

If I was Merkel I'd be putting out a hard message this morning....along of the lines of "Right, you have voted for continuation of austerity and the bailouts - now deliver - and no, there will be no variation/easing of the terms - if you wanted that you should have voted differently"

Evidently that's what she's trying. Not sure it helps the coalition-forming process.

But the question then is whether she's prepared to risk another election, if the Greeks threaten her with one. If the pro-bailout parties can't get anything from the Germans, they won't have anything left. The issue will be crystal clear - vote anti-bailout or vote for a German-controlled puppet government.

KiethBEN

Well I don't have enough knowledge about it but can only say for this I reckon that this time, either they actually form proper government and work it out or have third election instead. Maybe there will be military coup in Greece? You never know!

Generali

KiethBEN wrote: »

Well I don't have enough knowledge about it but can only say for this I reckon that this time, either they actually form proper government and work it out or have third election instead. Maybe there will be military coup in Greece? You never know!

They actually did form a proper Government in Greece:

http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_30184_20/06/2012_448183

Antonis Samaras was sworn in as prime minister on Wednesday and his coalition cabinet is due to be named on Thursday as the unity government begins the task of trying to extract Greece from an increasingly damaging economic crisis.


Samaras became Greece’s 13th prime minister since the return of democracy to the country in 1974. In comments to reporters, he stressed the need for “patriotism, national unity and trust that with God’s help we can ensure that the Greek people emerge from the crisis as soon as possible.” He said he would push his ministers to “work hard” in order to give Greek people “tangible hope.”

Zorz_2

A new government was sworn in yesterday.

The majority of the members are from ND party, with a few "technocrats", especially on the hot potato posts (Ministries of Economics, Labour and Health) that no career politicial was willing to risk his neck...

A good thing is that the 2 ministries (Tourism and Merchant Marine) that the previous government dissolved, have been reinstated. Remember, these are the two biggest industries in Greece, it's like Saudi Arabia not having a Ministry of Petroleum! :eek:

A couple of interesting links, first an analysis of the voting turnout:
http://news.radiobubble.gr/2012/06/abstention-in-greek-elections-do-greeks.html
It seems that things are not as bad as they look here.

And something from my hometown, that mirrors in a small scale how the central government sort of doesn't work:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/16/world/europe/thessaloniki-tackles-greeces-problems-in-miniature.html?_r=1

wotsthat

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18554590

Well they didn't last long..

The new PM needs an emergency eye operation and the new finance minister is in hospital after collapsing.

ILW

The article says it is illegal to fire a public sector employee.
If that is the case they are xxxxxx unless they change the laws.

Mrs_Bones

The more I read the less stable this new governments looks. I thought it was taking a long time for them to sort out a coalition deal but that seemed to be all sorted on the Wednesday. Now I've read that Pasok and Democratic Left have barred their MP's from joining the coalition as they don't want to be associated with austerity measures. The two parties will just be represented by just two party officials. This seems to me more like a confidence and supply aggrement to a minority government than a full coalition. It also seems to give plenty of scope for Syriza to create mischief.