The World from Berlin
‘Greece Cannot Be Ruled Against The Will Of It’s People’

To the ears of European politicians growing weary of the seemingly insoluble Greek debt crisis, the message may sound familiar. Let’s promise to play along today so that tomorrow we can return to business as usual. Indeed, despite Monday night’s passage in Athens of a €3.3 billion austerity package — even as violent protests raged on the streets outside — euro-zone leaders have yet to give the green light to the €130 billion bailout package Greece so badly needs. In addition to several technical details that still need ironing out, Brussels wants the leaders of all major Greek political parties — including Samaras — to sign an agreement that they will implement the austerity measures even after general elections in April. Athens talk is increasingly viewed as cheap in Brussels….

Die Tageszeitung writes:

“Greece’s party political system is threatening to collapse. Conservatives and Social Democrats both spent decades creating a system of clientelism to provide their supporters with all manner of benefits. For the most part, such rewards took the form of public sector jobs. Now, with the self-service system … finally shrinking — leaving the parties with fewer goodies to pass out — a significant reason for voting for these parties has vanished. In the coming campaign, there is little doubt that these parties will nonetheless seek to outdo each other with promises. But most Greeks have now become deaf to their pledges. And they are right. That could be a chance for alternative parties that want to finally put an end to the system of clientelism. But they also don’t have an easy solution to the economic crisis because there are no easy solutions. One cannot underestimate the danger that fringe parties could now benefit from the collapse of trust — from the neo-Stalinist left to the extreme right-wing nationalists. With their rigid austerity policies that renounced all investment aid, European leaders have provided these parties with valuable help.” >continue<

photos: Reuters & Der Spiegel