Greeks Without Choice in Sunday Election

Region:

Greece sold its soul to the Troika  abandoning what its people want most – an end to punishing austerity, government representing them, not Western bankers, a chance for a better future.

No matter what ruling coalition emerges from Sunday’s snap election, anti-populist business as usual will triumph, serving monied interests exclusively, imposing greater austerity than already.

The race is too close to call. Most polls show Alexis Tsipras’ SYRIZA party and Evangelos Meimarakis’ right-wing New Democracy in a virtual dead-heat – at around 32% support, a statistically insignificant 1% differential between them.

Seven other parties are competing: right-wing PASOK, Potami, and Independent Greeks, neo-Nazi Golden Dawn, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), Union of Centrists, and Popular Unity headed by former SRYIZA energy minister/vocal Tsipras critic Panagiotis Lafanzanis.

None have more than single-digit support – once powerful Pasok a meager 5%, Popular Unity lower at 3%. Either SYRIZA or New Democracy will form a new government with coalition partners – maybe each other.

Not a dime’s worth of difference separates them ideologically, each solely beholden to Western banker interests and their own.

SYRIZA’s stated program going forward is polar opposite its policies – duplicitously claiming it intends to “implement with different terms” than ones agreed on, “disengage from neoliberalism and austerity, to achieve a radical, democratic transformation of the state, while at the same time seeking solutions to limit the repercussions of the agreement.”

After forming a coalition government in January on an anti-austerity platform, Tsipras surrendered unconditionally to Troika demands – imposing harsher austerity than right-wing governance preceding him.

Expect nothing different ahead under coalition governance led by SYRIZA or New Democracy. Greece is a banker occupied colony. Social genocide is official policy. Democracy died in its birthplace.

Protracted Depression conditions persist. Nothing in prospect looks hopeful. Early Sunday, Reuters reported “weary voters” headed to the polls for the third time this year.

Early turnout was low. The New York Times said polls show many voters undecided or “might abstain altogether.” The Washington Post suggested Tsipras’ snap election strategy “may bounce him from office.”

The Wall Street Journal said “(w)hoever wins will find their policies heavily constrained by Greece’s latest bailout plan, which (SYRIZA and New Democracy) promise to uphold.” The Financial Times highlighted “fragile coalition governance” emerging from Sunday’selection.

After voting early, Tsipras lied to supporters, saying he’s “very optimistic that tomorrow a new day will begin and soon the hardship will be over. The difficulties will be overcome with firm steps.”

Everything is possible…We are fighting for a great victory of the left in Greece and to maintain hope across Europe.

Former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis told RT International SYRIZA “surrendered to an illogical logic. They surrendered to going along with and extending the crisis – something I have fought against for five years.”

He blasted Tsipras, saying he admitted agreeing to “a terrible package,” claiming he’d “implement it a little better than the others…” It’s “not the path I am prepared to walk,” he explained.

If God and his angels came down to produce a reform package for Greece, the Troika would have turned it down it down, because they were interested in humiliating us and demonstrating to the people of Spain and Ireland that if they vote in the way that the Troika doesn’t like, they will be crushed.

The only uncertainty about Greece’s future is how much worse things will get than already.

It’s hard imagining anything in prospect able to end its long nightmare.

The only solution would be a popular grassroots revolution.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at [email protected].

His new book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.

It airs three times weekly: live on Sundays at 1PMCentral time plus two prerecorded archived programs.

 


Comment on Global Research Articles on our Facebook page

Become a Member of Global Research


Articles by: Stephen Lendman

About the author:

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at [email protected]. His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III." http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network. It airs three times weekly: live on Sundays at 1PM Central time plus two prerecorded archived programs.

Disclaimer: The contents of this article are of sole responsibility of the author(s). The Centre for Research on Globalization will not be responsible for any inaccurate or incorrect statement in this article. The Centre of Research on Globalization grants permission to cross-post Global Research articles on community internet sites as long the source and copyright are acknowledged together with a hyperlink to the original Global Research article. For publication of Global Research articles in print or other forms including commercial internet sites, contact: [email protected]

www.globalresearch.ca contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available to our readers under the provisions of "fair use" in an effort to advance a better understanding of political, economic and social issues. The material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving it for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material for purposes other than "fair use" you must request permission from the copyright owner.

For media inquiries: [email protected]