Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Greece election: Exit polls signal big Syriza win
bbc.com ^ | 25 January 2015 | bbc

Posted on 01/25/2015 11:32:03 AM PST by Berlin_Freeper

Exit polls suggest a historic victory for the anti-austerity Syriza party in Greece's general election.

The polls indicate that Syriza took between 36% and 38% of the total vote, with the ruling New Democracy party a distant second with 26%-28%.

It is unclear whether Syriza has enough votes to govern the country alone.

(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: albania; alexistsipras; bulgaria; europeanunion; greece; hughandsyriza; macedonia; syriza; turkey
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-52 next last
To: 05 Mustang GT Rocks

“To put it in other words, before 01/25/2015 Greece was standing at the edge of the abyss. After 01/25/2015 the country made a great step forward.”

You might put it that way. I do not.

The entire Greek situation is a disaster.

This election is what Brussels has fought to prevent throughout the Eurozone. It has now happened. It will not be the last.

It will result in them leaving the EU, since it is the only path to renouncing their debt by creating their own currency.


21 posted on 01/25/2015 12:32:54 PM PST by aMorePerfectUnion ( "I didn't leave the Central Oligarchy Party. It left me." - Ronaldus Maximus)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Berlin_Freeper

Is there any way to short a country? We can expect Greece to go the way of Venezuela. Soon there will be mysterious shortages of food and everyday household items.


22 posted on 01/25/2015 12:34:22 PM PST by St_Thomas_Aquinas ( Isaiah 22:22, Matthew 16:19, Revelation 3:7)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: aMorePerfectUnion

Like I said, hope and change, and growing the government work miracles...not. You won’t get an argument out of me on the direction we are heading with the gutless pukes, mooslimes, and lefties inhabiting DC.
But if Greece drops the euro may be it will get to be real cheap to visit. Although after a year of Syriza rule, a guy may have to bring his own food and booze. Which would make me miss the great food I’ve enjoyed there.


23 posted on 01/25/2015 12:40:13 PM PST by 05 Mustang GT Rocks
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: aMorePerfectUnion
My point is that even if they left the EU, with the Marxists in power their situation will not change as the only thing that Marxist do well is to destroy countries and economies. Or they may be the first to tax and spend their way to prosperity.
24 posted on 01/25/2015 12:45:29 PM PST by 05 Mustang GT Rocks
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: Maine Mariner
Greece is a mighty small place with a mighty small economy.

There really are no really large corporations, since two Greeks is an intense but non-productive discussion, and three or more turns into a Tag-Team Match in which blood will be shed.

Kinda reminded me of trying to run a family farm in Maine! Seriously, they are a very sophisticated people and just wanted to have a hip modern country with every conceivable Social Scandinavian Style benefit, and freebie.
" 7 million Norwegians living like kings, and 7 million of us, living like bums? That just ain't fair!"

Unfortunately, there's just no economic activity in the country that can support the lifestyle they want, no matter how much they tax each other. Once the EU subsidy dried up, the dream was over and it's very tough to wake up.

The Greeks, as badly off as the place is economically, are also suffering from massive Third World illegal immigration! That ain't good.

Maybe they should re-colonize Sicily. Misery loves company. Or maybe find another silver mine outside of Athens. Greece needs big money and big work, or maybe the other way'round.

25 posted on 01/25/2015 12:49:07 PM PST by Kenny Bunk
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: southernnorthcarolina
Larry Kudlow once said that Greece peaked in 350 BC. I think he was right.

Alexander died 323 BC. Aristotle died 322 BC.So,350 is about right.

26 posted on 01/25/2015 1:01:44 PM PST by mjp ((pro-{God, reality, reason, egoism, individualism, natural rights, limited government, capitalism}))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: House Atreides

It looks like the margin of victory for Syriza is so large that they will not need to form a coalition government, but have been able to secure an outright victory.

In Greece, whoever comes in first in the election gets a bonus of 50 seats, in addition to however many proportional seats they have won, if indeed they have won between 35-39 percent, then this is devastating for Greece.

I guess on the bright side, they cannot blame any other party for what they do, imagine the anger.


27 posted on 01/25/2015 1:15:13 PM PST by shemyk344
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Maine Mariner

I hate to say it, but Syriza won’t be forcing Greece to leave the EU. Merkel would have to literally kick them out probably, Greece is less than 2% of Europe’s GDP so no big loss there.


28 posted on 01/25/2015 1:15:13 PM PST by shemyk344
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Berlin_Freeper

I can see even more distant cousins calling their US cousins looking for sponsorship and jobs. In the mean time, if you were thinking of buying a condo on a Greek Island or even a vacation, wait a few months. I can see a massive devaluation in the near future.


29 posted on 01/25/2015 2:15:46 PM PST by bjc (Show me the data!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Berlin_Freeper

via Zerohedge.com
Greece: SYRIZA’s 40-point program

http://links.org.au/node/2888

Interesting excerpts for discussion:

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.

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.

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

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).

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

24. Recovery of collective (labour) contracts.

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.

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.

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.

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


30 posted on 01/25/2015 2:48:32 PM PST by dynachrome (Vertrou in God en die Mauser)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 05 Mustang GT Rocks

” My point is that even if they left the EU, with the Marxists in power their situation will not change as the only thing that Marxist do well is to destroy countries and economies. Or they may be the first to tax and spend their way to prosperity. “

With which I agree. Marxism will fail over time. They can destroy the State completely - view Venezuela and the Bolivar revolution.

What is striking is the total failure of the leading parties to govern responsibly - like our own.
This failure of the mainstream parties pushed Greece into a failed and bloated system of welfare. Citizens continued to vote themselves benefits - like our own.

Joining the EU took away the State’s power to print money. They could take on debt, but not print their way out of it - like we do.

Austerity has now turned off the spigot with no free market to replace it. Austerity without an economy leaves only raw nationalism and anger.

THAT is where Greece is today and why Marxists won.

It is also a sad foretelling of our own situation, if it does not change.


31 posted on 01/25/2015 3:08:48 PM PST by aMorePerfectUnion ( "I didn't leave the Central Oligarchy Party. It left me." - Ronaldus Maximus)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: 05 Mustang GT Rocks

“You won’t get an argument out of me on the direction we are heading with the gutless pukes, mooslimes, and lefties inhabiting DC.”

You left out Republicans, unless you thought it was redundant after listing “gutless pukes.”

But if Greece drops the euro may be it will get to be real cheap to visit.”

If they stay on the Euro, it will be increasingly cheaper to visit. The Euro is rapidly losing strength. Money is flowing from Europe into dollar assets for now.

After them, there are three or four other potential nations that will be pushed into the Sovereign Debt Crisis. After that, it will hit our own shores, for largely the same reasons.


32 posted on 01/25/2015 3:11:38 PM PST by aMorePerfectUnion ( "I didn't leave the Central Oligarchy Party. It left me." - Ronaldus Maximus)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: aMorePerfectUnion

I didn’t leave out anyone, you got the gutless pukes reference. Yeah, it’s getting cheaper even on the euro but I remember when Greece switched from drachmas to euros they just changed the currency but kept the numbers on the prices of goods the same, so overnight they had I giant price increase. Pretty much the same thing that most other countries there did when switching to euros. So going back to drachmas and devaluing it can be great for tourism if there is anything left to buy after a short commie rule. You may even have to bring your own toilette paper with you.


33 posted on 01/25/2015 3:38:54 PM PST by 05 Mustang GT Rocks
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: Reaganez

Oh yes. And you are correct they will impose a tax of 95% which no one will pay. And they will nationalize industries which will worsen the already weaken economy.

What we will see is the hyperinflation of Germany from about 1920 to 1922. I am sure the elite of Greece have been long prepared for such an event.


34 posted on 01/25/2015 3:56:22 PM PST by Maine Mariner
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Kenny Bunk

Thank you for the insights into the Greek economy and culture. I was not aware of the problems with illegal immigrants. Except for their shipping industry and tourism, I don’t see much large scale economic activity.


35 posted on 01/25/2015 3:59:27 PM PST by Maine Mariner
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: Berlin_Freeper

I predict an influx of “Olympia Restaurants” all over Europe in the next few years.....”No Coke, Pepsi.”


36 posted on 01/25/2015 3:59:42 PM PST by dfwgator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 05 Mustang GT Rocks

More in depth analysis of the situation in Greece - beyond just the headline...

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-01-25/wont-remain-confined-greece


37 posted on 01/25/2015 5:12:48 PM PST by aMorePerfectUnion ( "I didn't leave the Central Oligarchy Party. It left me." - Ronaldus Maximus)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: aMorePerfectUnion

Interesting analysis and quite one sided. I am quite familiar with that part of the world, and had to laugh when I read about the fainting children from starvation, people not being able to go to the dentist. The Che Guevara poster in the Syriza office goes right with all of that. The previous Greek government went along borrowing more and more, and now all of a sudden it is all the Germans and the banksters fault. Like a said before, good luck with the lefties fixing it. And don’t think for a second that I am defending the banksters but a Northern European conspiracy to enslave the “poor” Southern Europeans it is not.
Goodnight, I’ve had enough of Greece for one evening. Got to get up tomorrow and run my business so the lefties here can steal more of my hard earned money and buy more votes.


38 posted on 01/25/2015 6:56:56 PM PST by 05 Mustang GT Rocks
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: Berlin_Freeper; GOPsterinMA; BillyBoy; fieldmarshaldj; sickoflibs; NFHale; AuH2ORepublican; ...

Well, Greece is **cked. The party who’s name is translated as “Coalition of the Radical Left”, is just 2 seats shy of an overall majority, the center-right comes in 2nd, the Nazis 3rd, faggy centrists 4th, Communists 5th, anti-spending cut nationalist conservatives 6th, and the former longtime dominant socialist party 7th, punished by their voters for being sensible enough to try and help the center-right save the country.

Gotta love the parliamentary system!


39 posted on 01/25/2015 9:41:06 PM PST by Impy (They pull a knife, you pull a gun. That's the CHICAGO WAY, and that's how you beat the rats!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Impy

Tells you a bit about the makeup of it’s population, who votes anyway.

Interesting is who comes in third...now that’s scary!!!


40 posted on 01/25/2015 9:42:32 PM PST by caww
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-52 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson