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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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