Now Comes Government: The Greek Election Fallout

The conservative party that supports austerity measures and continued membership in the European Union won Sunday’s vote. Ironically, that may have been the easy part.

Now they have to begin the complicated task of forming a coalition government.

Because of the complex nature of the task awaiting the perspective Greek government, they want to form a majority cabinet that can force through its’ agenda.

However, you also want to form this majority using the fewest number of parties possible. A large number of parties means a greater number of interests that need to be accounted for. Agreements become tougher.

I think we can all agree that the last thing the Greek people need right now is the self-interest of politicians.

 Yet, playing politics is a big part of what makes a politician, a politician.

 Just because Greece is in trouble, doesn’t mean that the Greek people should expect politicians to come back to humanity.

I’m very much afraid that the election was the easy part for Greece.

No Good Choices: The Greek Election

Today’s election in Greece offers no good choices in a country that is running out of time.

 Do Greeks battered by massive unemployment, austerity measures, and European Union brokered bailout plans stay with the European Union or leave the Euro Zone?

Greeks want to stay in the European Union, but realities inside Greece may override this desire.

As unemployment grows and people become more insecure about their money, the domestic standing of parties favoring continued presence in the EU falters.

Complicating matters, European leaders have said that there will be no renegotiation of the terms of the Greek bailout. This would probably lead to a Greek exit from the Euro Zone and untold economic chaos.

Staying in the EU really doesn’t fix anything either.

Assuming Greece does form a government (we’ve already done the election thing once this year), it will be tasked with yet more painful austerity cuts that have led to riots in the streets and an increasing number of suicides.

They’ll also encounter a Greek state that is disillusioned with government and in need of jobs. The new leaders will further have to do a delicate juggling act between the domestic need for jobs and order with international demands for plans on debt relief.

I don’t envy the alleged winner of this election, or the Greek people.