Elections in Greece: Can Syriza Break with Austerity?
Thursday 15 January, 2015
6:30pm, $0/Rsvp
Rosa Luxemburg Shiftung NYC
275 Madison Avenue, Suite 2114
On January 25, Greece is going to elect a new parliament. After years of austerity policies, the country is in a state of deep crisis and despair. The banks have been “saved” from losses, but after years of precipitous economic decline, the Greek people continue to suffer tremendously. It has become clear that Greece will not be able to cope with this crisis alone. Yet the powers behind austerity, in particular the Central and Northern European countries led by German chancellor Angela Merkel, continue to impose a disastrous policy on Greece.
The upcoming elections, however, may turn out to be a challenge for the “Troika” of the IMF, the European Commission, and the European Central Bank: Leading in the polls is the Coalition of the Radical Left, better known by its abbreviation SYRIZA. What would a SYRIZA government do if the party wins the elections? How are other European governments going to react? And how can we of the international left organize and mobilize in support of a potential SYRIZA government?
At this event, we want to analyze austerity policies in Greece within the broader European context. Speakers will be Natassa Romanou of SYRIZA and Andreas Günther of Germany’s Left Party.