Austerity and Anger: Protests Against Syriza's EU Deal

On January 25, the leftist party Syriza emerged victorious in Greece’s national elections. Days later, Alex Tsipras, the new 40-year-old prime minister, formed a coalition government with a strong mandate to renegotiate Greece’s bailout terms and reduce its large debt pile, built up over the five-year financial crisis.

Tsipras and his team then engaged in bitter negotiations with the country’s international lenders. Athens sought to scrap the harsh measures attached to the bailout by describing the plight of austerity-hit Greeks as a “humanitarian crisis.” On February 20, a deal was clinched. The country’s loan agreement was extended by four months, giving Greece more breathing space to negotiate a better pact in the future, but also forcing Syriza to climb down on its pre-election promises.

Despite the deal, Greece is still broke and needs European loans to avoid bankruptcy. The new government’s popularity is slowly declining and uncertainty as to how Syriza will live up to its many promises remains.

Facing backlash from its own supporters, Syriza’s deal with the European Union has sparked angry demonstrations in Athens. VICE News attended the protests and spoke to people disillusioned with the current situation and the party’s pre-election pledges.

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[VICENews]

Facing backlash from its own supporters, Syriza’s deal with the European Union has sparked angry demonstrations in Athens. VICE News attended the protests and spoke to people disillusioned with the current situation and the party’s pre-election pledges.

[Tomisasnake]

I'm confused as to what Greek people are expecting. Lets say Greece rejects the bailout money and austerity plan and decided to leave the EU, how is it expecting to pay off its debts? If it does decide not to pay them back and write them off then surely the country is screwing itself over big time for the future because no one will ever lend them money again...surely some bailout money is better than no money at all?...is there really any other way out of this situation. If so can some one please explain?

[TheMwolf]

My hope now is that the Anarchists of Greece ban together and garner support!

[Simiomonil]

Crisis, OK, let's do capitalism...oh it went bad, again crisis, OK, let's do communism....oh it went bad, again crisis, OK, let's do capitalism...oh it went bad, again crisis, OK, let's do communism...rinse and repeat. Give me a break, aren't out there new ideas other than these crappy ones?

[DaniyalZeX]

Power to the Workers... Voting does not work, the workers must take over.

[SomePotato]

Give these guys and gals a chance! They can't turn everything around in a few months. Facing opposition from all of Europe, they need the support from within.

Best of luck from a German, who is ashamed of his government once again.

[lejink]

Isn't there someone I can vote for that will make the debt disappear?  How hard could it be, to eliminate years of debt in a few months?!

[alexburgers]

If they think they can just leave and not pay back the EU, their going to be in for a very big disappointment

[angelopro]

Yannis Varoufakis is an economic genius, jesus people, you can't fix you economy in 3 months, protesting impulsively is such a greek thing to do

[ShadowfinderMusic]

I've heard a rather interesting opinion on this one, and that is the fact that Germany doesn't want Greece to leave the EU, because if they do, speculators will start speculating against the currency of another member of the EU which does not have the Euro, and it seems this might be Poland. Poland would get into serious economic troubles and could even go bankrupt in such a situation. Whilst Greece is not an important partner for Germany, Poland on the other hand, is. And the Germans do not want to loose on of their key economic partners. Has anyone else heard a version like this one?

[GershonWolf]

Germany still owes them from WW2. This would be a good time to pay up!

[PkPvre]

So they get millions from the EU to save their country, yet they want to leave. They seem to be a bunch of intelligent people.

[giovannifoulmouth]

Socialism and capitalism are incompatible. Make up your mind, SYRIZA.

[wonderboy]

Kinda hard to believe that this was once a great and powerful empire makes me wonder what will become of the US one day

[AutonomousVoice]

No is Yes. 'Socialism' is capitalism.

[joses]

Whenever the global establishment starts to get nervous about a political movement, you can bet something genuine has emerged.

[matthewday]

Well they were the one that had to borrow money from the eu

[bogdankg]

For all of greek people ... We are on yor side, you are was for us and we are for you ... Serbian ortodox tnx for all mu brothers call as in yors hour of nead
... We well reply as one ... Greeck peple is god people ... You well win...

[eteline_music]

The guy holding the umbrella over the head of the communist speaker is a nice touch. Very egalitarian.

[wiseass]

To be fair to Syriza. The Euro is a fatally flawed currency in desparate need of reform. Syriza is trying, and for that alone they have my respect. However, the reality is unless development and revenue start entering Greece. The situation will only get worse as time goes by.