So elections can still make a difference in The Frau’s Europe. We shall have to wait and see the outcome and whether the European Union and the Euro will survive after all. But at least the elections have shaken things up. Leaders are getting their collective knickers in a twist. All of a sudden Mr “Who are you?” (As EMP Nigel Farrange has called him) Herman Van Rompuy was galvanized into calling a Euro meeting to discuss growth! Of all things.
We are told in the Guardian article that Olli Rehn (The economics commissioner) has said that the weekend’s elections in France and Greece have changed the face of European politics. And that this should be taken into account. The Chairman of the Bankers’ IIF Charles Dallara has said that there should be a shift in economic policy in Europe away from stringent austerity. Even Christine Lagarde of the IMF has mumbled cryptic remarks to this effect.
However, there are of course the loud and harsh voices of repression as well. The German official of the ECB threatening (or stating) that if Greece reneges on its commitments (to ruin its economy in exchange for money it then pays to the banks) it will be kicked out of the Euro. Or even our own friend Olli Rehn again. He is reported to have said that in the light of popular feeling we should ease up on austerity measures in countries struggling to meet their budget targets. But NOT in Greece. NO! Greece has to remain on the path of total destruction ruled by the troika.
Well, considering it was the vote in Greece that started shaking them up, this is a little disingenuous I would say. And considering that if Greece does go belly up in an utterly disorderly way, precisely because of the straight jacket forced on her by the troika, this will indeed cause shock wakes to hit the rest of the south and perhaps even further north in the EU, I can hardly call it very intelligent either.
Still, to cut a long and sorry story short, the democratic elections held in Europe over the weekend have managed to cause an earthquake. Of course The Frau and her ilk will be playing hardball to maintain the status quo of an EU hijacked and run by the German right. The Euro Commission will play along with whoever manages to be in the ascendant as it always does. Well, they have very cushy and totally unaccountable jobs. While the people start flexing their muscles and perhaps realising that they do have the power after all.
It remains to be seen. All we do know at the moment is that a tiny little country pushed to the extreme and still under constant threats and violence (in the form of being flung into poverty and despair for no reason other than “saving” the banks) has helped shake things up in Europe.
The man of the day being Alexis Tsipras leader of the SYRIZA party who dared say the people had voted the troika package of destruction null and void through the ballot box. Which is true. It remains to be seen how the message will be implemented if at all. Nevertheless, like another lively young man many years ago, he has certainly managed to shake things up!
