euro|topics - Political crisis in Greece

Main focus of Thursday, December 11, 2008

Political crisis in Greece

After the rioting of recent days, Greece finds itself in the midst of a harrowing crisis. The European press comments on events as they unfold, and sees the country's political leadership as the main cause of the problem.

The Daily Telegraph - United Kingdom

The Daily Telegraph blames Greece's political parties for their lack of concerted action: "Neither of the main political groups has emerged with credit from the crisis. New Democracy, under Costas Karamanlis, has failed to contain the rioters. And the socialists, under George Papandreou, have cynically used the violence to call for the resignation of the government and new elections, neither of which is likely to take place in the immediate future. Greece is tearing itself apart at a time when it desperately needs to alleviate a huge burden of public debt and a drastic loss of competitiveness. The weakness of Mr Karamanlis's administration revealed over the past five days suggests that it is not equal to the challenge of imposing budgetary discipline, further deregulating the labour market and reforming the pensions system. And the same goes in spades for [the socialist party] Pasok. The sight of a Nato and EU member hopelessly adrift is indeed cause for alarm." (11/12/2008)

Népszabadság - Hungary

Under the headline "How much can democracy take?" the left-liberal daily Népszabadság examines the political situation in Greece. "Greece has plunged into a political crisis. Not only has the centre-right government of Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis lost the trust of the people on the streets but Greece's entire political system in is in a pitiful state. All this has happened in an important Nato and EU member state, in a country which is one of the main recipients of EU funding. ... Greek politics is based on the family. For decades political dynasties have been taking turns in power. This clan system has clearly worn itself out." (11/12/2008)

De Volkskrant - Netherlands

The Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant critices the rigid political, economic and administrative structures in Greece: "Greece is poorly governed, and ... nepotism is rife. The authorities dithered incompetently last summer when the country was beset by huge forest fires. And the state is showing the same ineptness in view of the current violence. ... Nevertheless it would be wrong to paint Greece as a hopeless case. After all the country was successful in becoming a full member of the European family. It has introduced the reforms necessary for entering the Eurozone. More of this will to reform is urgently needed to modernise the administration and pump fresh blood into the moribund political system, which is ruled by old dynasties on both the Left and the Right. The time has come for a different answer to the question of who heads the government in Greece than: if it isn't Papandreou it must be Karamanlis." (11/12/2008)

I Kathimerini - Greece

The pro-government Greek daily I Kathimerini analyses the mistakes of Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis, and casts about for potential replacements. "The prime minister tries in vain to keep up with events. His ministers are incapable of dealing with circumstances, and he has lost control of this incendiary situation - with catastrophic consequences for the entire country. ... It is being left up to the police, who lack orders or any plan to speak of, to improvise. ... The images of police sitting pathetically as stones and Molotov cocktails pour down on them were unbelievable. ... The people are looking for a new leader, someone who can restore confidence in the public institutions, put an end to the immunity of politicians, journalists and other celebrities ... and who has the courage to fight corruption. ... Unfortunately such a leader is nowhere in sight." (11/12/2008)

» To the complete press review of Thursday, December 11, 2008

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