Political earthquake in Greece

These are the final results of the parliamentarian elections in Greece:

Nea Dimokratia (Right wing pro austerity program) 18,85%,  108 seats (33,47%  in 2009 elections)

SYRIZA (Coalition of the radical left, anti austerity) 16,78%, 52 seats  (4,60%)

PASOK (Socialists, pro austerity) 13,18%, 41 seats (43,92%)

Independents Greeks (Populist Right, anti austerity) 10,60%, 33 seats (this party is a split of Nea Dimokratia and it was formed two months ago)

KKE-Communist party 8,48%, 26 seats (7,54%)

Golden Dawn (nazi gang) 6,97%  21 seats (0,29%)

Democratic Left (moderate left, right wing split of SYRIZA) 6,11%, 19 seats (first time in elections)

Green Ecologists 2,93%, no seats (2,53%)

LAOS (populist extreme right)  2,90% (5,63%)

Democratic Alliance (ultra-neoliberal split of Nea Dimokratia) 2,55% (first time in elections)

Creation again (ultra-neoliberal) 2,15%  (first time in elections)

Action-Liberal alliance (ultra-neoliberal) 1,80% (first time in elections)

ANTARSYA (extraparlamentarian left) 1,19% (0,36%)

In brief:

1. This is a political earthquake. It is an unprecedented collapse of the bi-party political system that dominated the country since the fall of the dictatorship in 1974. PASOK and Nea Dimokratia have no majority neither in votes, nor in Parliament.
2. The voters have rejected in a very clear way the political forces that implemented austerity programs: PASOK, Nea Dimokratia, LAOS. People voted against IMF and EU policies.
3. This is an unprecedented triumph of the Left in general and SYRIZA in particular. The total of the Left is 32,56%. This is a historic record, even better than the 25% of 1958.
4. SYRIZA is the second country of the country. It took almost 4 times more than in 2009. It is No 1 party in the area of Athens with more than 20%. It is also number 1 in the ages between 18 and 35, No1 in unemployed and public sector employees, No1 in all the popular neighborhoods. This is a very clear class vote. People approved the 3 main positions of SYRIZA: a) rejection of the austerity programs, b) united front of the whole Left, c) formation right now of a leftist government that will end austerity.
5. It is a real shame for our people that the Nazis are entering the parliament. The continuous anti-immigrants campaign of the Government has strengthened them. They have also taken advantage of the anti-political tendencies of Greek society. Now the Nazis will have hundreds of thousands of state money to fund their murderous gangs.
6. It seems very difficult to form a new government right now. The only way to do so is to convince Democratic Left to enter a Nea Dimokratia-PASOK government. But it seems more realistic that new elections will be held on early June.

In conclusion, in Greece, class struggle is entering in a new more intense period. Will it be a new “Weimar Republic” or “the first Latin America-style leftist government in Europe”?

Yannis Almpanis, 7/5/12