With Progressive Syriza's Victory, Is a European Spring Coming?

[unhappycamper]

http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/28843-with-progressive-syriza-s-victory-is-a-european-spring-coming



Supporters rally with Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras in May, 2014.

With Progressive Syriza's Victory, Is a European Spring Coming?
By Lorenzo Del Savio and Matteo Mameli, Truthout
Monday, 02 February 2015 09:45

In the wake of the victory of the progressive party Syriza at the Greek general election on January 25, 2015, some have started talking about the coming of a European Spring, a democratic uprising against the political status quo in Europe.

This status quo has imposed brutal austerity policies on countries like Greece, Cyprus, Spain, Italy, Portugal and Ireland. These policies have protected and advanced the interests of banks, and more generally, of those holding large financial assets. They have protected and advanced the interests of large corporations. They have generated unbelievably high unemployment rates, a huge squeeze on workers' wages and an astonishing number of bankruptcies among small businesses. They have resulted in dramatic cuts to social security and public health systems.

These are economic issues, but they are also moral issues. Robbing a whole generation of European youth of the possibility of finding a decent job is stripping them of their hopes and dignity. But alongside these issues, there are other features of the European status quo that are outrageous. Through a variety of mechanisms - from the memoranda of the Troika to EU pacts and treaties - European institutions have robbed European citizens of any meaningful democratic control over political decisions. For all of these reasons, a European Democratic Spring is urgently needed.

So far, the only parties that have challenged the status quo are those disparagingly labeled as populist by the EU elites. Syriza's victory will certainly galvanize other populist parties in Europe, especially those on the left. An alliance between Syriza and the Spanish party Podemos has the potential to be very significant. There will be a general election in Spain by the end of 2015, and Podemos is now leading the polls. An anti-austerity, left-wing Southern-European front is now a real possibility.

[libdem4life]

1. Thanks for the photo...he looks so young. But that last sentence, indeed..Italy has turned Left,

Portugal is leaning and France, well, is France.

What that holds for Europe, and I'm no expert, but there is definitely a chasm in the making. The size of the individual countries and their political system makes it easier for populism, or for the people to gain back control. Also, they lack the iron fist nature the Germans wield, along with the Troika, now over economics. Funny they use a Russian word and concept.

Speaking of Russia ... nipping again at the Eastern boundaries and eagerly coveting the Ukraine. Sticky times.