The new government in Greece wants to spearhead an alliance of leftwing forces across Europe, but we know we face powerful adversariesThe inaugural week of the new government in Greece has already delivered a considerable jolt to EU politics, and there is much more to come. First, it is necessary to deal with the widely circulated canard that the coalition government between Syriza, the party which I represent in parliament, and the Independent Greeks (Anel) signifies an unholy “red-brown” alliance. Anel is not a soft version of the fascist Golden Dawn. It is a nationalist party that speaks for broad sections of grassroots conservatism, and they have consistently opposed the disastrous policies of austerity. Indeed, with regard to Greece’s national debt, its position might even be considered to the left of Syriza.Needless to say Syriza would have preferred to form a government alone, but the election results did not allow it. To its shame, the Greek Communist party refused to join or even support a Syriza government. There is no other party with anti-bailout credentials in the Greek parliament. The dilemma for Syriza, therefore, was either to form a government with Anel and apply the anti-bailout programme, or let the country go to fresh elections, which would have been disastrous for both economy and society.Greece no longer considers the troika to have a valid institutional statusThere is a sense among ordinary Greeks of recapturing some dignity after years of being treated appallingly Continue reading...
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