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201 09

newsletter newsletter

Special Edition focused on the political situation in Greece, in cooperation with Nicos Poulantzas Institute (NPI)

After The Greek Elections: “Let Us All Give A Promise ...”

By Stavros Panagiotidis, NPI

The night of the Greek elections of 17 2011)), with the collaboration of Kon- only electoral platform of the New De- June punctuated the map of Modern stantinos Karamanlis and the US- mocracy (endorsed by the rest of the Greek history. For the first time, parties Embassy had founded his party, the parties and all major media, co- left of the Social democracy receive Center Union, designed to absorb and ordinating political propaganda against such as a large percentage (SYRIZA, weaken the radical social power. SYRIZA). Thus it became the first party Democratic Left and KKE together that wins the elections throughout the 37.5%), and assume the position of the The Election Result: New Democracy post-dictatorial period, not on a political major opposition. The only time some- – A Winner Without Power project and an optimistic promise, but on thing similar has happened in the whole the basis of threat and fear. It also be- Back again in 2012, SYRIZA received of Greek political history was in 1956 came the first party that wins the elec- 27% (71 seats), while in the previous when the political alliance of EDA tion with so little acceptance of its ideas. elections in May received 17% and (United Democratic Left) won 25% of As a former communications specialist 4.6% (13 seats) in the 2009 elections. the vote and second place. This was just wrote: “Most of those who voted for Despite this high percentage it failed to seven years after the Greek Civil War ND, they did so by wrinkling their noses achieve the goal to form the first left and the defeat of the communists, prov- in disgust!” government. The New Democracy ing that the Left continues to live in the (Conservatives) won the election with After the elections of May and the rise country and is a political force with very 29.66% share, over the course of of SYRIZA, all parties had talked about strong social ties. In the next elections in 18.85% of the elections in May, but still the need to revise the Memorandum, and 1961, the percentage of EDA decreased, smaller than that of the 2009 elections to develop a plan of conflict with the mainly for two reasons. First, because (34%), which was considered as an Troika. Similarly, the ND, the Prime the then Prime Minister, Konstantinos electoral defeat. It is telling that despite Minister Antonis Samaras, who in his Karamanlis, uncle of the later Prime the unacceptable electoral law, which first statement did not speak at all about Minister Costas Karamanlis (2004- gives a bonus of 50 parliamentary seats the renegotiation of the Memorandum. It 2009), organised a plan of extensive to the first party, regardless its percent- is worth mentioning that the percentage intimidation of left, mostly rural voters age (!), the ND was not able to reach of ND as a result of increased anti- and rigging election results, in conjunc- parliamentary majority, winning only SYRIZA-campaign, managed to rally tion with agents of the army, some of 129 out of 300 seats. As the readers of not only voters of other right-wing par- whom were the protagonists of the coup this newsletter already know, the main ties, but even voters who had supported that took place six years later. The sec- weapon of ND was terrorizing citizens the PASOK in order not to allow ond reason was that George Papandreou, by threatening that a government with SYRIZA becoming first. (the father of later Prime Minister An- the Left will cancel the Memorandum, dreas Papandreou (1981-1989, 1993- the country will exit the Euro and the 1996) and grandfather – also Prime economy will be destroyed. This was the Minister! – George Papandreou (2009-

Elections’ Polarization: Pro- age of it dissipated due to the dynamic lead the country out from the Eurozone Memorandum and Anti- that developed SYRIZA and the pros- and they will lose their – already low – Memorandum pect of a left government which pensions, having apparently come to charmed the traditional left-wing voters. terms with the idea of living in poverty, PASOK (Social Democrats) lost The CP has paid the consequences of with only the absolutely necessary res- nearly one percent since the elections of sectarian policies and the refusal of any sources. Also, SYRIZA comes first May, decreasing to 12.28% (33 seats) cooperation with other left forces, the among graduates of higher and secon- from 44% in 2009 due to the enormous features of which are captured in the dary education, as well as in the age damage caused by its governance and phrase of its Secretary: “We are not groups of 18-34 (33%) and 35-54 the signing of the Memorandum, losing leftists, we’re communists!” Thus they (34%), but second, with half the per- thus the majority of its voters to refused to cooperate with SYRIZA, centage of ND (20%), in 55+ age group. SYRIZA. Shortly before the election, accusing it of not supporting an exit SYRIZA is first in most major urban the president of PASOK, Evangelos from the EMU (although this claim areas and in many regions of the prov- Venizelos announced that his party disagrees with the vast majority of ince, including the island of Crete where would launch a process of reinvention, Greek society) – and of being a party the political forces of the center (PA- removing all the organs of PASOK which agrees with the system and en- SOK and its predecessors) have had except himself, a decision which was dorses a new social democracy! It is traditionally been assembling their larg- accepted by members without reaction indicative that the interpretation of elec- est percentages since the first decades of due to the political decline of PASOK. tion results by the side of the CP is that the twentieth century. The Independent Greek’s (Antimni- “we told the truth to the people and we One of the most remarkable features is moniako, an emerging right-wing party, have paid!” the absolute class polarization that resulting from division of the New De- Last we left the case of neo-Nazi party emerged in the elections, especially in mocracy, with tough positions on for- Golden Dawn, whose rates remained the region of Attica, where 5.000.000 eign policy and immigration and sup- high at 7% (18 seats). Readers of the people live. SYRIZA came first in all porting the immediate cancellation of newsletter had the chance to read in the the areas populated with people of lower the Memorandum) vote has been pres- previous issue an analysis of this phe- incomes and belonging to proletarian sured by ND but the results have re- nomenon. The article vindicated that the strata, approaching 40% (ND got there mained high, going from 10.5% to 7.5% stabilizing influence of GD is based on percentages of 15%) and second or third (20 seats). very real trends in Greek society, which in all regions whose inhabitants belong The Democratic Left (coming from a have been even strengthened after the to middle class and higher strata. split of Synaspismos in 2010) main- attack of a member of GD on TV The conclusion is that the most dy- tained its rates at 6.26% (17 seats). The against women candidates of the Left. namic parts of Greek society, whose party throughout the election period put The election result has encouraged its lives and future prospects are strongly forward the slogan “Stay in the Euro at followers to engage in previous days in a affected by the policies of the Memo- all costs” and “renegotiation of the series of actions, indicative of their in- randum, supported SYRIZA. This Memorandum (as opposed to the pro- human ideology, such as knife attacks shows the huge success of SYRIZA and posed cancellation on the part of against immigrants and the destruction the vindication of its efforts to express SYRIZA) and gradual disengagement of SYRIZA stands. their interests, as well as the enormous by 2014”, but, anyway, in this year sup- class polarization existing in Greek posedly the Memorandum will expire! The Characteristics of Voting for society and the great potential that Finally, the Democratic Left presented SYRIZA SYRIZA has. itself as a responsible power of the Left The qualitative characteristics of (as opposed to the “irresponsible” SYRIZA voters are extremely interest- The Next Day SYRIZA, who refused to join the gov- ing. According to one survey, the alli- ernment after elections in May), which After the elections, SYRIZA an- ance comes first in the preferences of will guarantee the formation of a gov- nounced firmly that the party respects private employees (19%), civil servants ernment after the elections. However, the election results and will not partici- (22%), self-employed (18%), unem- surveys show that they’ve lost ¼ of the pate in any government formation proc- ployed (22%) and students (20%). It is voters of May to SYRIZA. ess, since there is a political chasm be- fourth power among farmers (9%) and tween it and the New Democracy. A The Communist Party suffered a huge third power among housewives (15%) government with the participation of crash, losing half of the votes of May and pensioners (11%). The latter not SYRIZA, who supports the immediate and dropped from 8.5% to 4.5% (12 changing easily their electoral behav- cancellation of the Memorandum, along seats). Like other small extra- iour, both because of their age and their with ND and PASOK, whose leaders parliamentary left alliances, the percent- fear that a government of the Left would have guaranteed to sign that they will

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fulfil the terms of the Memorandum, sciousness of voters on the social divi- at the election night in the central pavil- may not have any luck and it would sion of labour, their own position within ion of SYRIZA in Athens, in front of mean a cancellation of SYRIZA’s po- it and the need for collective organisa- hundreds of members and friends of litical agenda. SYRIZA pledged that it tion. SYRIZA, whose flags and songs gave will use its position to finally have a real the signal for the start of a new era: Second, it has to establish organisa- major opposition in the country, rather tional ties with the people who voted for “Let us all give a promise. To con- than the situation until now, where ND SYRIZA, a significant part of which is tinue giving all the power and vitality of and PASOK had the same positions and fascinated by the idea of political par- our souls to support our fellow men in pretended to disagree. The oppositional ticipation. SYRIZA promised a more need. SYRIZA has to become a force action of SYRIZA will be substantial democratic and participatory governance that will support networks of social and radical (as long as this government model, “to return power to the people” solidarity. To not leave any poor and is in office). The party will be at the side as Alexis Tsipras said. This should apply unemployed people without electricity of the people in their struggle against the in the interior of SYRIZA at first and the and healthcare. Together with our strug- policy of the Memorandum, which the way leading to it passes through the gles to pave way for the democratization new government will continue. And it transformation of the left coalition into a of political life and especially to give the will be calling on the government to use united, massive and modern Party of the promise that without conceit and arro- – although it estimates that it will not Left, where all the people, who came to gance, with the humidity that character- happen – the high percentage of the left the open meetings of SYRIZA the pre- izes those who are fighting for the right opposition as an additional bargaining vious times and discussed with the ex- of ordinary people, to transform our tool against the Troika. ecutives of the party and Tsipras the coalition into a great democratic, popu- The tasks undertaken by SYRIZA are program of the left alliance, will be lar left-wing party that will unite the both important and difficult. Apart from actively involved. This is the only way Greeks in the great struggle to regain our the continuing demonstration of the real for SYRIZA to be even more effective country’s sovereignty, independence and character of the new government and at understanding the problems of people, social justice and to get democracy back participating in organizing large political the social processes taking place, to have to its homeland and all over Europe. The events and protests, the left coalition is more political and social visions to future is ours and lasts long. We are asked to do basically three things. compose and thus to further strengthen determined to win.” the program with material that will make First, lead to greater awareness among The following slogans, flags pulsated it more detailed, convincing and power- even more of its voters. The vote in with passion and the pride that shone in ful. SYRIZA is of economic type, in the the eyes of the members of SYRIZA for sense described before, the concentra- The third task of SYRIZA, as well as the great struggle we give for the victory tion of low income earners in SYRIZA the previous two, is encapsulated in the of the people were our commitment that and of the better earning in ND. But it is phrase from the speech of Alexis Tsipras we give this promise and will keep it to not a class vote, in the sense of con- (http://www.left.gr/article.php?id=2812) the end.

A New Chapter In French Politics

By Elisabeth Gauthier, Espaces Marx

and Chirac. Now, for the first time For the first time since ten years Record-breaking 44% of non- since Francois Mitterand’s resigna- the government of France is led by voters strongly indicate the delegiti- tion in 1995, the French president is the PS (Parti Socialiste) again. In misation of political representation. a social democrat again. Because of 2002, the Gauche Plurielle govern- the strength of the Left in local and The French political system clearly ment and its then candidate Jospin regional committees, the French enforces a two-party-system: the encountered catastrophic results due senate has a left majority for the first primacy of the presidential election, to the public's massive dissatisfaction time in the history of the 5th Repub- a majority vote system without any with their politics. When it became lic. Basically all the important insti- proportionality and the permanent clear that they could not even pro- tutional reins of power are now held pressure of voting ‘usefully’ for one ceed past the first ballot, the way was by PS- representatives. of the major parties already in the paved for a run-off between Le Pen first ballot contribute to this fact.

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80% of the seats in the senate and Marie le Pen’s granddaughter) and a governing majority.* The committed parliament are held by representa- representative of the extreme Right Left will have to focus on building as tives of the two major parties – a on the other hand will enter parlia- much pressure as possible within and further proof of the necessity of es- ment owing to results in the South, outside of institutions in order to tablishing a 6th Republic, as proposed where their influence is exceedingly induce a shift to the left. Here, issues by the Front de Gauche (FdG). strong. All fractions of the Right such as the structure of the European prepare for their role as the opposi- Union, wages and social standards, The election results are contradic- tion and speculate on a coming disil- employment, the public sector and tory, though. In about 90% of the lusion. The FN aims for a new com- democracy will be crucial. A further 577 constituencies the FdG won position of the crisis-stricken Right development of the FdG’s program more votes than the candidates of the and attempts to play a central role in ‘L’Humain d’abord’ (People first) PCF (Parti communiste français) in this process as to gain dominance with the involvement of networks the last elections (6.9% on average as within the movement for the 2017 and task-forces founded in the elec- opposed to 4.5% in 2007) and had elections. Within the UMP a debate tion campaign is also planned. In above-average results especially in is likely to evolve: will they clearly their campaign, Hollande and the PS the bigger cities. At the same time reject any advances of the FN or hardly attempted to shift political the PS could increase their votes form strategic alliances? The UMP’s hegemony to the left but rather con- drastically and even surpass deputies rightward shift induced by Sarkozy centrated on the desire for getting rid of the FdG who are generally thor- implies the latter. of Sarkozy. Mélenchon’s campaign oughly successful (30%), such as on the other hand emphasised certain Jean Luc Mélenchon in a constitu- How will the PS handle its new left-wing issues which now need to ency in the North (21%). As a result, power? Never before were there so be further developed. A failure of the along with its allies the PS achieved many possibilities to fight the oligar- social democratic presidency and an absolute majority (316 MPs) even chy’s dominance both in France and government would not merely have without the Greens (17 MPs) and the Europe. According to his program, horrendous economic and social FdG (10MPs). This had been Au- Hollande aims at correcting the pre- consequences but also lead to a po- bry’s declared objective and a major vailing logic without questioning the litical catastrophe and the strengthen- factor in the failure of a joint candi- very foundation it is based upon. The ing of the extreme Right. The Left is dature of the Left in areas with a full force of the European crisis is faced with the challenge of creating a high FN (Front National)-voter po- yet to strike France, it is feared that well-functioning and credible socio- tential. The FdG lost many votes the worst is still to come. Already on political alternative. (J.L. Mélenchon scored about 4 the first day after elections the talk is million votes in the presidential elec- about ‘necessary efforts’ and ‘sacri- A further developing of the FdG is tions) as their supporters either de- fices’, which – other than in the era desired by its organised as well as cided to go for the PS (about 33%) or Sarkozy – should be ‘distributed non-organised activists, however, it refused to ballot in the first place. justly’. The French president mas- will take a lot of discussion and ex- The nationwide promotion of J.L. sively interfered with the elections in perimenting to find feasible ways for Mélenchon as a candidate in the Greece by appealing to Greek voters the future. The single parties which presidential elections could not be for a so-called ‘pro-Euro’-decision constitute the FdG will also need to repeated for parliamentary elections, and subsequently complimented continue along this path as to con- which are traditionally split up in them on the outcome. Despite his tribute to a new dynamic of the constituencies. The Greens could pro-growth discourse, Hollande has movement. only increase their votes in areas not shown any signs of rejecting supported by the PS while they stag- austerity policy with regard to the nated in the other constituencies. The EU-summit at the end of June with *The nomination of the former radical Left made hardly an appear- bank union, budget union and politi- PCF-member and party-leader ance. cal federalism high up on the agenda. Robert Hue (who supported Hol- lande from the very beginning) as a On the Right, the UMP (Union For the FdG the conditions for a government member must be inter- pour un mouvement populaire, 229 participation in the government are preted as an individual decision. seats) and the Democratic Movement not given. They see themselves as a (MoDem, 2 seats) lost seats. Two part of the left majority in parlia- FN-deputies (among them Jean- ment, however, not as a part of the

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Trade Union Assembly Resolution from Rio: “Fighting For An Alternative Development Model”

By Asbjørn Wahl*

An impatient Trade Union Assembly In order to replace the existing model, This is something to live up to! in Rio on 11-13 June adopted a state- the trade union movement must play “a ment which represents an important step decisive role in fighting for an alterna- Find the entire statement here: forward, in which it realises “that our tive development model for our socie- http://www.ituc- current profit-driven production and ties, grounded on peoples’ needs, on csi.org/IMG/pdf/assemblyresolution_en consumption model, identified as the solidarity, on economic democracy and g_tc_rev.pdf source of rising social inequalities and on a fair distribution of wealth”. environmental degradation, must be * The author is Adviser of the Norwegian In this struggle, the trade union Union of Municipal and General Employ- replaced if a truly sustainable develop- movement must “make use of our or- ees and Chair of the Working Group on ment is to be achieved”. ganisational capacity and our experience Climate Change of the International Transport Workers’ Federation It further demanded that “the Com- of past struggles to form a strong, organ- mons, natural and energy resources are ised global movement in a bid to spur The text is from the ESF mailing list. brought and kept under public owner- governments and corporations, who are ship, securing their public preservation reluctant to act, into taking appropriate and administration with social control”. measures to tackle and stop climate change”.

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