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
DCBob
(24,689 posts)However its probably just political maneuvering to gain some concessions from ND.
stockholmer
(3,751 posts)grantcart
(53,061 posts)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)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)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)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)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.
otherone
(973 posts)nt
nineteen50
(1,187 posts)TheWraith
(24,331 posts)The fact is that voting is the only thing which has EVER worked.
nineteen50
(1,187 posts)nineteen50
(1,187 posts)dipsydoodle
(42,239 posts).
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.
KamaAina
(78,249 posts)potone
(1,701 posts)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)Syriza wants to stay in the Eurozone, they just don't want the bastards in Berlin forcing austerity on them.
stockholmer
(3,751 posts)on the so-called left used it as an anti-SYRIZA smear as well).
ag_dude
(562 posts)Serious question, not being snarky.
Odin2005
(53,521 posts)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)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?
Odin2005
(53,521 posts)ag_dude
(562 posts)...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)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)Asian markets rallied in early trading on Monday, with Japans Nikkei Stock Average JP:100000018 +2.13% up 2.2%, South Koreas Kospi KR:SEU +2.17% rising 2.3%, and Australias 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)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.