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Europe

Greek leaders fail to form coalition

2011-11-10

[Guardian UK]

Greece was engulfed in political uncertainty as power-sharing talks aimed at forming a coalition government collapsed amid intense wrangling, ensuring that tortuous negotiations would drag on into a fourth day.

As Greeks -- and European Union
...the successor to the Holy Roman Empire, only without the Hapsburgs and the nifty uniforms and the dancing...
officials -- looked on aghast, the presidential palace announced that the near bankrupt country's squabbling party leaders would reconvene under the auspices of president Karolos Papoulias .

Suggestions that Philippos Petsalnikos, Speaker of the parliament and a long-time confidant of outgoing socialist prime minister George Papandreou, would be the next leader appeared to torpedo the talks and last night well-placed sources suggested that sparring politicians were once again considering annointing former frontrunner Lucas Papademos to take control of the new government.

"This is an insult to democracy," lamented the veteran leftist Fotis Kouvelis who leads the small Democratic Left party.

"It is clear that, after this, whatever government emerges will be totally undermined," he said giving voice to fears that Athens had become rudderless as it navigates its worst crisis in modern times. "The only answer is elections here and now."

The talks collapsed after a day of farcical high drama, climaxing with the unexpected exit from the presidential palace of Giorgos Karatzaferis, leader of the populist far-right Laos party.

The politician, whose party's fortunes have risen dramatically on the back of Greece's debt drama, stormed out of the building denouncing the "tactical games" allegedly being played by Papandreou and Antonis Samaras, the conservative main opposition leader.

"I am very sorry. Very sorry for Greece," he said before being whisked off in a bullet proof car.

Posted by:Fred

Posted by: Water Modem 2011-11-10 11:59

#1 Until some real leadership emerges in Athens that is able to rally the population to the fact that the days of milk and honey are over, nothing is going to happen.

What I see here is an entire nation in denial. They apparently still seem convinced they if they just tax the rich enough, they can still keep their social welfare state. They haven't yet come to grips with the notion that it is over. It's done. The days of getting money for nothing and chicks for free is over. People are actually going to have to work for a living and wait until they are actually old to retire.

For example, if you have worked for an employer for 10 years or have worked for 12 years for any number of employers, you are entitled to 25 days (5 freaking WEEKS) of paid vacation per year. That is in ADDITION to 12 public holidays that you MUST be paid for giving a total of 37 paid days off per year.

That compares to NO mandatory vacation in the US and 10 paid holidays. (15 days paid vacation is typical in the US for people with 10 years of service at an employer).

Depending on your occupation, you can retire in Greece at 50 if you are female and 55 if you are male.

It's just crazy. And no politician wants to be the one to tell people that the gravy bowl is empty lest they have riots because the people have been conditioned to believe that the status of their life is the government's responsibility.

Things are going to get a whole lot worse in Greece before they get better.

Posted by: crosspatch 2011-11-10 02:09

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