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Greece went to the polls last weekend for the second time in six weeks. This time however the New Democracy Party won a majority and its leader quickly began trying to forge a coalition government.

The New Democracy majority may have been small but with willing political partners it is expected  to be enough to form a workable government. Today June 20, 2012, Antonis Samaras, leader of the New Democracy party, will be sworn in as prime minister. At time of writing the Greek coalition talks were ongoing but reportedly close to a finalised deal.

The people of Greece need a government but whether a coalition can bring stability to Greece is not known. Their debt crisis continues and too many people in Greece are suffering. As they struggle on in poverty tax dodgers and system abusers in the country prosper. These two issues will need urgently addressing by the new government.


The Markets around the world are still faltering as Greece forms its new parliament. There was no huge surge in the markets on the back of the Greek election, as the situation remains unstable. Angela Merkel the German Chancellor and leading light in Europe right now, has made it plain that the Greek bailout will not be renegotiated.

Yesterday President Obama speaking, as the G20 summit in Mexico drew to a close, said that Europe knows what it has to do. The talk is of leaders having to make tough choices and decisions. Of course those tough choices rarely affect those who make the decisions. It is easy to play politics when it is someone else who will experience a massive drop in income, or the loss of a home, for example.

President Obama should also publicly acknowledge that Europe's financial woes stem in so many ways from the USA. 

Samaras is meeting with Greek President Karolos Papoulias prior to being sworn in as Prime Minster. Updates will follow....


Latest: Samaras has been sworn in as PM. "The ceremony came shortly after he agreed a coalition government with the Socialists (Pasok) and the smaller leftist party, the Democratic Left. Mr Samaras took the oath at a Greek Orthodox ceremony in Athens."

 
 
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Greece is being told that it will have to in effect jump through yet more hoops, in order to secure the next financial bail-out. With so much at stake it is easy to see why Germany is keen on Greece curing its financial ills. That said once again it is Germany and France demanding. Perhaps the two leaders, Angela Merkel and Nicholas Sarkozy, the Merkozys, that should make a community of their own.

As it is the Greek people will be expected to make even more cuts.Thousands of public sector job cuts have been announced. Sooner or later there will be nothing left to cut. What will happen then? Will the richer countries of the Eurozone offer aid? After all we are sending aid by the bucket load to countries such as India and Pakistan. Surely that would show true community spirit. Offer a fresh start.

As usual it will be the poorest people of Greek society that will lose out. More job cuts are on the way. Already some Greeks have abandoned their children in the hope that will have a better life in care. Whilst the money men and women of the EU consider budget and financial implications do they spare a thought for the citizens of Greece? The people who now have an imposed leader rather than an elected one.

The German Franco alliance now hope to ensure that Greek bail out money is not paid directly to Greece. They do not want it going straight to Athens but rather to an interim bank. This way they can feed the money to Greece a little at a time. If Greece does not dance to the tune of the Franco German alliance it will not receive the rest of the money.

Of course all EU countries stand to lose a great deal if Greece defaults on its debts. However expecting the Greek people to live as paupers, for what could be the rest of their lives, should not be an option. Better to set them free to fend for themselves. Yes it would be sink or swim but isn't it going to be that anyway?

Debt deal talks
Greek bail out funds could be split