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Purveyor

(29,876 posts)
Sun Jun 17, 2012, 04:54 PM Jun 2012

Pro-Euro Party Projected To Win Greek Election

Source: LA Times

From the Associated Press

June 17, 2012, 1:20 p.m.
The New Democracy party came in first in Greece's election Sunday and immediately proposed forming a pro-euro coalition government -- a development that eased, at least briefly, deep fears that the vote would unleash an economic tsunami.

Sunday's vote was seen as crucial for Europe and the world, since it could determine whether Greece was forced to leave the joint euro currency, a move that could have potentially catastrophic consequences for other ailing European nations and the global economy. As central banks stood ready to intervene in case of financial turmoil, Greece held its second national election in six weeks after an inconclusive ballot on May 6.

With 37.4 percent of the vote counted, official results showed the conservative New Democracy with 30.5 percent of the vote, ahead of the radical anti-bailout Syriza party's 26 percent and the pro-bailout Socialist PASOK with 12.9 percent.

Although official projections late Sunday showed that no party will win enough seats in the 300-member parliament to form a government on its own, Greece's two traditional parties -- New Democracy and PASOK -- will have enough seats to form a coalition together.


Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fgw-greek-election-2012,0,2920660.story

27 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Pro-Euro Party Projected To Win Greek Election (Original Post) Purveyor Jun 2012 OP
Twist.. PASOK says they wont form coalition without Syriza. DCBob Jun 2012 #1
beat me to it :.> stockholmer Jun 2012 #3
With the 50 seat bonus mentioned in the article ND will have the upper hand grantcart Jun 2012 #6
PASOK says it won't join any coalition without SYRIZA (populist Left), which in turn says it stockholmer Jun 2012 #2
and not one word grantcart Jun 2012 #4
read point 8 (shipping income), as for capital gains on stock sales, that law is already passed stockholmer Jun 2012 #10
In simple terms dipsydoodle Jun 2012 #11
thanks for the information otherone Jun 2012 #13
" If voting worked it would be illegal" nineteen50 Jun 2012 #5
Spare us the trite and false koans of cynicism masquerading as wisdom, please. TheWraith Jun 2012 #8
Can you prove or disprove any election was ligit? nineteen50 Jun 2012 #17
ditch the euro coin your own money revise tax system based on equality nineteen50 Jun 2012 #7
Dream on. dipsydoodle Jun 2012 #12
BAM ag_dude Jun 2012 #18
Greece is Greek for Wisconsin KamaAina Jun 2012 #9
Indeed it is. potone Jun 2012 #15
"Pro-Euro Party" nice RW spin, there. Odin2005 Jun 2012 #14
thank you, I pointed that out too, in my first reply (albeit without calling it a RW tactic, as many stockholmer Jun 2012 #16
How do propose Greece stays in the Eurozone without Austerity? ag_dude Jun 2012 #19
Most of it is gratuitiously cruel Disaster Capitalism. Odin2005 Jun 2012 #20
I've read that. ag_dude Jun 2012 #22
What does Greek debt have to do with their minimum wage? Odin2005 Jun 2012 #25
Other than the fact that the people they're asking for money from... ag_dude Jun 2012 #26
They shouldn't stay in the euro zone is the answer - TBF Jul 2012 #27
Hello? ag_dude Jun 2012 #24
The conga line will be in full swing tomorrow on cnbc... sad sally Jun 2012 #21
Just had a look at the Daily Telegraph website.... T_i_B Jun 2012 #23

DCBob

(24,689 posts)
1. Twist.. PASOK says they wont form coalition without Syriza.
Sun Jun 17, 2012, 05:17 PM
Jun 2012

However its probably just political maneuvering to gain some concessions from ND.

grantcart

(53,061 posts)
6. With the 50 seat bonus mentioned in the article ND will have the upper hand
Sun Jun 17, 2012, 05:36 PM
Jun 2012

If they get 37% of 250 seats plus the 50 then they would have 142 seats.

With PASOK it would be a strong majority that would allow them to govern.
 

stockholmer

(3,751 posts)
2. PASOK says it won't join any coalition without SYRIZA (populist Left), which in turn says it
Sun Jun 17, 2012, 05:19 PM
Jun 2012

will not join any coalition government that accepts the austerity aspects of the bailouts. 3rd round of elections looks more and more likely. Btw, SYRIZA was never in favour of leaving the Eurozone.

SYRIZA's 40-point program:

1. Audit of the public debt and renegotiation of interest due and suspension of payments until the economy has revived and growth and employment return.

2. Demand the European Union to change the role of the European Central Bank so that it finances states and programs of public investment.

3. Raise income tax to 75% for all incomes over 500,000 euros.

4. Change the election laws to a proportional system.

5. Increase taxes on big companies to that of the European average.

6. Adoption of a tax on financial transactions and a special tax on luxury goods.

7. Prohibition of speculative financial derivatives.

8. Abolition of financial privileges for the Church and shipbuilding industry.

9. Combat the banks' secret [measures] and the flight of capital abroad.

10. Cut drastically military expenditures.

11. Raise minimum salary to the pre-cut level, 750 euros per month.

12. Use buildings of the government, banks and the Church for the homeless.

13. Open dining rooms in public schools to offer free breakfast and lunch to children.

14. Free health benefits to the unemployed, homeless and those with low salaries.

15. Subvention up to 30% of mortgage payments for poor families who cannot meet payments.

16. Increase of subsidies for the unemployed. Increase social protection for one-parent families, the aged, disabled, and families with no income.

17. Fiscal reductions for goods of primary necessity.

18. Nationalisation of banks.

19. Nationalisation of ex-public (service & utilities) companies in strategic sectors for the growth of the country (railroads, airports, mail, water).

20. Preference for renewable energy and defence of the environment.

21. Equal salaries for men and women.

22. Limitation of precarious hiring and support for contracts for indeterminate time.

23. Extension of the protection of labour and salaries of part-time workers.

24. Recovery of collective (labour) contracts.

25. Increase inspections of labour and requirements for companies making bids for public contracts.

26. Constitutional reforms to guarantee separation of church and state and protection of the right to education, health care and the environment.

27. Referendums on treaties and other accords with Europe.

28. Abolition of privileges for parliamentary deputies. Removal of special juridical protection for ministers and permission for the courts to proceed against members of the government.

29. Demilitarisation of the Coast Guard and anti-insurrectional special troops. Prohibition for police to wear masks or use fire arms during demonstrations. Change training courses for police so as to underline social themes such as immigration, drugs and social factors.

30. Guarantee human rights in immigrant detention centres.

31. Facilitate the reunion of immigrant families.

32. Depenalisation of consumption of drugs in favor of battle against drug traffic. Increase funding for drug rehab centres.

33. Regulate the right of conscientious objection in draft laws.

34. Increase funding for public health up to the average European level.(The European average is 6% of GDP; in Greece 3%.)

35. Elimination of payments by citizens for national health services.

36. Nationalisation of private hospitals. Elimination of private participation in the national health system.

37. Withdrawal of Greek troops from Afghanistan and the Balkans. No Greek soldiers beyond our own borders.

38. Abolition of military cooperation with Israel. Support for creation of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders.

39. Negotiation of a stable accord with Turkey.

40. Closure of all foreign bases in Greece and withdrawal from NATO.

http://www.solidarity-us.org/site/node/3620

grantcart

(53,061 posts)
4. and not one word
Sun Jun 17, 2012, 05:28 PM
Jun 2012

about

1) Changing the Greek constitution to allow taxation of Shipping income

2) Taxing capital gains of Greek stock exchange

3) Criminally prosecuting the hundreds of overtly corrupt local tax officials who have made millions while giving the self employed a blank check on their taxes.

IMHO without these three everything else is PR, good leftist PR, but still PR.
 

stockholmer

(3,751 posts)
10. read point 8 (shipping income), as for capital gains on stock sales, that law is already passed
Sun Jun 17, 2012, 06:11 PM
Jun 2012
http://www.landwell.fr/recent-greek-tax-changes.html

The Athen Bourse has tried to delay it, but it is now in efect.

As for point number 3 (criminal presecution of corrupt tax officials), SYRIZA has consistently stated they will prosecute corruption of not just tax officials, but will remove immunity for MP's as well.
http://links.org.au/node/2866

dipsydoodle

(42,239 posts)
11. In simple terms
Sun Jun 17, 2012, 06:20 PM
Jun 2012

I would assume the 25% witholding tax will then be offset against tax paid on dividends ASSUMING that tax to be paid.

If not declared/paid the the government has got the 25% anyway.

We have a similar system in the UK for tax on interest but I won't bore you with the details.

TheWraith

(24,331 posts)
8. Spare us the trite and false koans of cynicism masquerading as wisdom, please.
Sun Jun 17, 2012, 05:51 PM
Jun 2012

The fact is that voting is the only thing which has EVER worked.

ag_dude

(562 posts)
18. BAM
Sun Jun 17, 2012, 07:51 PM
Jun 2012

Everyone's salary is now worth a fraction of what it was before.

Unless Greece could become a completely self sustaining nation (good fucking luck in the modern era) that's just a knee jerk idea that wasn't thought through at all.

potone

(1,701 posts)
15. Indeed it is.
Sun Jun 17, 2012, 07:17 PM
Jun 2012

If I were Greek I would have voted for Syriza, despite their lack of experience. It was a gamble to vote for them, but the pressure placed on the Greeks before the election not only by foreign officials--especially German ones--and the German press to vote for Nea Demokratia made me think that there was good reason to vote for Syriza, even if their platform may seem too idealistic to be implemented. I would recommend to anyone who wants to get a broader perspective on what are the hidden causes and true agenda behind this crisis to watch the documentary "Catastroika", which is available on utube. This is a second documentary by the same directors who made the documentary "Debtocracy", which is also available on utube.

Odin2005

(53,521 posts)
14. "Pro-Euro Party" nice RW spin, there.
Sun Jun 17, 2012, 06:46 PM
Jun 2012

Syriza wants to stay in the Eurozone, they just don't want the bastards in Berlin forcing austerity on them.

 

stockholmer

(3,751 posts)
16. thank you, I pointed that out too, in my first reply (albeit without calling it a RW tactic, as many
Sun Jun 17, 2012, 07:23 PM
Jun 2012

on the so-called left used it as an anti-SYRIZA smear as well).

Odin2005

(53,521 posts)
20. Most of it is gratuitiously cruel Disaster Capitalism.
Sun Jun 17, 2012, 08:08 PM
Jun 2012

Greece is being made to lower it's minimum wage, for example, which has NOTHING to do with it's debt.

Read The Shock Doctrine.

ag_dude

(562 posts)
22. I've read that.
Sun Jun 17, 2012, 10:54 PM
Jun 2012

Ironically, if Greece would have gone off the Euro and switched back to drachmas, they could have doubled the minimum wage pretty easily. Of course, their money would only be worth a fraction of what it was before so the net effect would still be disastrous.

It's easy to say that any of the solutions to the Greek issue are a disaster because EVERY option they have at this point is a disaster.

So again, how do you propose Greece stay in the euro zone without austerity?

ag_dude

(562 posts)
26. Other than the fact that the people they're asking for money from...
Mon Jun 18, 2012, 09:06 AM
Jun 2012

...have told them that they want the minimum wage cut?

The 'official' reason is it would enable Greek industry with it's notoriously low productivity to better compete and bring in more money in hopes of providing Greece with a road to pay off their debt. It's of worth note that Germany doesn't even have an across the board minimum wage, even with their high level of productivity, and they still maintain an extremely high level of income equality (relative to other nations). That's one of the main reasons Greece isn't going to get much sympathy from the primary country they're trying to get more loans from.

It's a catch 22. If they reject the demands, default, and then print drachmas, the minimum wage will fall dramatically due simply to the fact that their money isn't worth anything. If they do accept the minimum wage cuts, which they already did in April, the minimum wage will be cut by 22%.

Regardless, you're asking a smaller question while avoiding the big one.

You've brought up the minimum wage issue a couple times now but you still haven't given a solid plan as to how Greece could avoid austerity and remain in the EU.

TBF

(32,055 posts)
27. They shouldn't stay in the euro zone is the answer -
Mon Jul 2, 2012, 08:10 AM
Jul 2012

to do so will be horrible for the people of Greece. Just as in this country the workers are bearing the brunt of the austerity. At some point workers worldwide are going to get sick of this state of affairs (capitalism) and band together to enact socialism.

sad sally

(2,627 posts)
21. The conga line will be in full swing tomorrow on cnbc...
Sun Jun 17, 2012, 09:30 PM
Jun 2012

Asian markets rallied in early trading on Monday, with Japan’s Nikkei Stock Average JP:100000018 +2.13% up 2.2%, South Korea’s Kospi KR:SEU +2.17% rising 2.3%, and Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 index AU:XJO +1.71% up 1.7%. Read more on Asia Markets.

The euro EURUSD -0.07% also surged, jumping to $1.2712, from $1.2646 in late North American trade Friday. Read more on currencies.

T_i_B

(14,737 posts)
23. Just had a look at the Daily Telegraph website....
Mon Jun 18, 2012, 07:37 AM
Jun 2012

In case you didn't know, the UK Daily Telegraph is right wing and very Eurosceptic.

To say that there's sour grapes about the possibility of Greece staying in the Euro on that website is an understatement.

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