The 2015 Greek election
040 Right-wing record of Syriza in Greece
9 August 2019
As Greece exits bailout, EU demands further austerity
By Robert Stevens, 21 August 2018
The conclusion of the bailout is a vote of confidence from financial markets that the pseudo-left Syriza government will continue looting the people to pay off the banks.
UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn hails Alexis Tsipras of Syriza
By Robert Stevens, 4 July 2018
The Labour leader praised Syriza only days after it enforced the latest round of austerity and pledged further services to the EU’s vicious anti-migrant measures.
Syriza and EU plan decades of austerity measures and privatizations
By Katerina Selin, 28 June 2018
At a meeting of euro finance ministers on June 21, the EU states came to an agreement on the formal withdrawal of Greece from the European Union’s so-called “rescue programs.”
Greece’s Syriza government rushes fourth austerity program through parliament
By Katerina Selin, 21 June 2018
Syriza is once again preparing to impose harsh measures on workers, retirees and young people.
Greek Syriza government steps up brutal repression of refugees and asylum seekers
By John Vassilopoulos, 19 May 2018
Syriza and its government coalition partners have become the EU’s jailor, presiding over what are essentially concentration camps.
Greek Prime Minister Tsipras embraces Trump
By Alex Lantier, 19 October 2017
The statement of Tsipras that he shares “common values” with Trump exposes not only Syriza, but all of the middle-class “left” parties internationally that promoted it.
260 Urdu translation of IC statement on Syriza
7 March 2017
Greek PM Tsipras promotes nationalism, austerity at Southern European conference
By Alex Lantier, 9 September 2016
Amid protests against its austerity policies in Greece, Syriza is boosting the EU and trying to divert social anger along nationalist lines, inciting anti-German sentiment.
Syriza government oversees clampdown on refugee shelters in Greece
By John Vassilopoulos, 22 August 2016
Syriza’s inhumane treatment of refugees is entirely in line with the wider policy of the EU, which is fortifying its borders against those attempting to flee imperialist wars.
One year since Syriza’s betrayal in Greece
By Bill Van Auken, 15 July 2016
Syriza’s ceaseless collaboration in the implementation of brutal austerity measures has vindicated the warnings made by the WSWS even before the pseudo-left party came to power.
Syriza government cuts pensions and privatises state property in Greece
By Katerina Selin, 6 July 2016
While the Syriza government is throwing pensioners into even more dire poverty, they are also selling off state property to foreign investors.
Greece’s Syriza government presses ahead with privatisations
By Katerina Selin, 17 June 2016
The Syriza-led government, elected on a wave of opposition to austerity, is presiding over a sweeping sell-off of state assets for the benefit of the Greek and European financial elites.
Greece's Syriza government imposes harsh austerity measures
By Christoph Vandreier, 27 May 2016
Eurogroup finance ministers have made clear they will accept no way of dealing with the Greek debt crisis other than continuing attacks on the working class.
Greek Syriza government orders clearing of Idomeni refugee camp
By Katerina Selin, 25 May 2016
Special forces and police have forcibly removed all refugees, who have struggled to survive there for months, from the camp.
After Syriza imposes billions in new cuts
EU plans decades of austerity for Greece
By Alex Lantier, 10 May 2016
In the face of mass strikes and protests, Syriza is accepting decades of cuts under cover of restructuring Greek debt.
Greece’s Syriza: Full partner in historic crime against refugees
By Bill Van Auken, 5 April 2016
The police-state measures and summary deportations employed by the Syriza government against refugees are of a piece with its relentless attacks on the Greek working class.
Syriza-led Greek government takes its place in US war drive alongside Israel
By John Vassilopoulos and Jean Shaoul, 20 February 2016
The pseudo-left Syriza government is backing US plans to dominate the energy-rich Eastern Mediterranean region and the Middle East.
What is behind Varoufakis’s “Democracy Movement to Rescue Europe?”
By Ulrich Rippert, 15 February 2016
Behind Varoufakis’s defence of the European Union is the defence of the sinecures and privileges of the well-off layers for whom Varoufakis speaks.
Mass protests against pension cuts in Greece
By Christoph Dreier, 23 January 2016
In Greece, an increasing number of professional groups are protesting against the planned pension cuts of the Syriza government.
Syriza presents plan for drastic pension cuts
By Kumaran Ira, 7 January 2016
Based on Syriza’s record in government, workers must assume that its assurances that it is seeking to protect pensions as much as possible are outright lies.
Syriza government sends Greek riot police to attack refugee camp
By John Vassilopoulos, 16 December 2015
Prior to the raid, police moved all journalists, photographers and aid workers three kilometres from the camp.
Yanis Varoufakis in Australia: A political cover for his role in Syriza’s betrayal
By James Cogan, 28 November 2015
Varoufakis admitted in a lecture at the University of Sydney that he had extracted “blood out of stone” in order to repay Greece's creditors.
European Union steps up financial pressure on Greece
By Christoph Dreier, 11 November 2015
New bankruptcy regulations are aimed at enabling banks to seize apartments and houses.
Strikes and protests begin in Greece against Syriza austerity programme
By Robert Stevens, 7 November 2015
The demobilisation of the working class by the trade union apparatus has enabled Syriza to impose a further wave of savage cuts.
Podemos recruits former chief of Armed Forces to run in Spanish election
By Alejandro López, 7 November 2015
Podemos’ decision to offer itself up as a platform for NATO and the Spanish army to play a public role in political life is a warning as to the party’s reactionary character.
French president applauds Syriza’s austerity measures before Greek parliament
By Alex Lantier, 26 October 2015
François Hollande and Syriza have been working together closely to block the eruption of mass opposition in the working class to austerity across Europe.
Syriza launches drastic attack on pensions under terms of EU bailout of Greece
By Alex Lantier, 17 October 2015
Working closely with the EU, the Syriza government is trying to liquidate basic social rights won by the European working class in the 20th century.
Murder trial implicates leadership of fascist Golden Dawn in Greece
By Robert Stevens, 13 October 2015
Nikos Michaloliakos and other Golden Dawn officials are accused of being part of a criminal organisation.
Syriza budget implements dictates of European banks
By Christoph Dreier, 6 October 2015
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said that austerity was the “only way” out of the country’s crisis, declaring, “we have to tighten our belts.”
Former Greek Finance Minister Varoufakis denounces working class, praises British Tories
By Chris Marsden, 3 October 2015
Varoufakis is, in essence, Tony Blair in a Greek context—shaped by the same political events and drawing the same political conclusions.
Minister from Independent Greeks appointed by Tsipras forced to resign from Syriza-led coalition
By Robert Stevens, 26 September 2015
Tsipras, who appointed Kammenos, is well aware of the reactionary character of the Independent Greeks.
Syriza voted back into office amid mass abstention in Greek election
By Bill Van Auken, 21 September 2015
No party in the elections gave expression to the mass popular sentiment to reject austerity that was revealed in last July’s referendum.
Widespread disillusionment in Greece ahead of Sunday’s election
By Robert Stevens, 19 September 2015
According to polls, no party is close to winning a majority under the Greek electoral system.
Socialist Project’s Panitch and Gindin defend Syriza’s betrayal of the Greek working class
By Roger Jordan and Keith Jones, 19 September 2015
Panitch and Gindin are bitterly opposed to any challenge to Syriza from the left, claiming that the defeat of the Syriza government would be a “disaster.”
Syriza attempts to rewrite history in futile effort to stem collapse in support
By Robert Stevens, 17 September 2015
Syriza’s programme claims that the July referendum that rejected austerity and which Syriza then betrayed was the party’s “crowning achievement.”
A week before election, Greek conservatives neck and neck with Syriza
By Alex Lantier, 14 September 2015
What is being played out in Greece are the initial political consequences of Syriza’s betrayal of its electoral pledges to end austerity policies imposed by the European Union.
EU backs Greece’s Tsipras as Left Platform splits from Syriza
By Robert Stevens, 22 August 2015
The new elections are part of a political conspiracy involving both Syriza and the newly formed Popular Unity Party to impose unpopular austerity measures.
Conflicts erupt over Syriza’s contingency planning for Greek euro exit
By Robert Stevens, 28 July 2015
Ex-Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis did contingency planning for a parallel banking system that could serve to reintroduce a Greek national currency.
Australian SEP meetings discuss political issues posed by Syriza’s betrayal in Greece
By our reporters, 28 July 2015
The SEP meetings were the only public events in Australia to expose Syriza’s craven capitulation to German banks and the financial elites.
Greek parliament rubber-stamps new EU austerity plan
By Christoph Dreier and Alex Lantier, 23 July 2015
The parliament did not even have the time to read the 900-page draft dictated by the EU, submitted to it the day before Wednesday’s vote.
Greek parliament endorses EU-dictated austerity programme
By Chris Marsden, 16 July 2015
The legislation was overwhelmingly approved by a vote of 229 to 64, as the Greek government deployed riot police against protests outside of parliament.
Lessons from Greece: The pseudo-left in power
By Joseph Kishore, 15 July 2015
Syriza’s betrayal is all the more brazen because it occurred within days of a popular repudiation of EU ultimatums in a referendum called by the government itself.
Syriza government campaigns for Greek parliament to pass EU austerity package
By Alex Lantier, 15 July 2015
Greek Premier Alexis Tsipras criticized the plan he agreed upon with the EU, yet called on the Greek parliament to vote for it anyway.
A letter from Athens
15 July 2015
The WSWS recently received a letter from Greece on the Syriza betrayal.
Greek bailout deal highlights monumental scale of Syriza’s betrayal
By Chris Marsden, 14 July 2015
The function of Greece’s parliament will be to rubber-stamp the transfer of real authority to Brussels and Berlin.
Berlin: Angry reaction to Syriza betrayal of Greek workers
By our reporters, 14 July 2015
Developments in Greece are being followed by broad layers of workers and youth in Germany.
The consequences of Syriza’s betrayal: From terms of surrender to terms of occupation
By Barry Grey, 13 July 2015
The EU is demanding terms that will condemn large sections of the Greek working class to destitution and turn the country into a virtual colony.
Tensions erupt in Europe as Berlin threatens to expel Greece from the euro
By Alex Lantier, 13 July 2015
The German government intends not only to reduce Greece to semi-colonial status, but to whip critics of its Greek policy, such as France and Italy, into line.
Mass demonstrations in Greece follow vote against EU austerity
By Robert Stevens and Christoph Dreier, 6 July 2015
Thousands gathered on Athens’ Syntagma Square Sunday evening after the emphatic rejection of austerity proposals of the European Union and the IMF.
A landslide “no” to EU austerity in Greece
By Alex Lantier, 6 July 2015
Yesterday’s “no” vote in Greece is a massive popular repudiation of the EU and the austerity agenda it has pursued across Europe since the 2008 economic crisis.
Greek workers speak out at referendum polling stations
By Robert Stevens and Christoph Dreier, 6 July 2015
Operation Nemesis: Danger of state repression against protests in Greece
By Alex Lantier, 6 July 2015
While Syriza continues to try to negotiate a deal with the EU for financial aid in exchange for imposing austerity, plans are being drawn up to send the army against the people.
Greek collapse, global turbulence loom as Syriza imposes capital controls
By Robert Stevens, 29 June 2015
The decision followed Sunday’s announcement by the European Central Bank that it would not increase its emergency funding for Greek banks.
Greek crisis comes to a head
By Alex Lantier, 29 June 2015
The decision of European financial authorities to terminate the bailout of Greece and limit the flow of credit to banks has brought the country to the brink of an economic and financial meltdown.
Greece pledges to repay IMF loans early in EU talks on bailout deals
By Kumaran Ira, 12 May 2015
The Syriza-led government is prostrating itself before the European Union, working to tighten austerity and repaying its loans early to cut a deal with the EU at the workers’ expense.
Anger mounts among Greek retirees as Syriza threatens to withhold pensions
By Kumaran Ira, 2 May 2015
The Syriza government delayed pension payments while continuing to repay the banks.
Syriza dispatches police to clear protesters from Athens university
By Christoph Dreier, 18 April 2015
With this action, the Syriza-led government has signalled its readiness to use state repression against opponents of its austerity measures.
Syriza continues immigration policy of previous Greek government
By Martin Kreickenbaum, 30 March 2015
Despite its empty promises to treat refugees humanely, the Syriza government is working closely with the EU Commission to reject and persecute them.
Syriza government submits new list of austerity proposals to Greece’s creditors
By Robert Stevens, 28 March 2015
It is not certain that Syriza’s measures will go far enough to satisfy creditors demanding deeper cuts in workers’ living standards.
Syriza leader Tsipras meets with Left Party leaders in Berlin
By Johannes Stern, 26 March 2015
The Left Party is firmly backing Tsipras precisely at the point when he is uncritically accepting the line of the German government and the austerity policy of the European banks.
ISO-allied pseudo-lefts within Syriza defend their capitulation to austerity
By Alex Lantier, 16 March 2015
Syriza’s claims that it had no option but to surrender to austerity are cowardly lies, rooted in the material interests of the reactionary upper-middle class forces for whom Syriza speaks.
Greek debt crisis sharpens geostrategic tensions between US, Europe, Russia
By John Vasilopoulos, 6 March 2015
Voices in the Western media have expressed concern that a Greek default could undermine the integrity of NATO in the strategically vital eastern Mediterranean.
Syriza’s surrender to the banks exposes France’s New Anti-capitalist Party
By Alex Lantier, 3 March 2015
The NPA’s publication of a statement, in the name of the International Committee of the Fourth International, supporting Syriza’s right-wing policies is a political provocation.
Syriza’s parliamentary group supports Greek austerity agreement
By Robert Stevens, 27 February 2015
The vote comes amidst a developing crisis within Syriza’s ranks over the implications of the party’s repudiation of its election manifesto.
Germany and EU look set to reject Greece’s request for six-month loan extension
By Robert Stevens, 19 February 2015
German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble denounced a new Greek proposal for a six-month loan extension and demanded further austerity measures.
No agreement reached between EU finance ministers and Greece
By Robert Stevens and Barry Grey, 17 February 2015
The opposition of the Syriza-led government amounts to pleading for terminological window dressing to conceal its capitulation to the EU austerity agenda.
Greece’s Syriza government pledges to serve the EU
By Christoph Dreier, 13 February 2015
In the talks with the EU, the Syriza government is preparing to implement new austerity measures and "respect the European rules."
Stock markets fall on fears of Greek exit from euro zone
By Robert Stevens, 10 February 2015
On Wednesday, a meeting of finance ministers from the euro zone countries will discuss the Greek crisis.
Syriza capitulates to the European Union
By Peter Schwarz, 7 February 2015
Syriza leaders are traveling across Europe to assure governments they can rely on the party to push through “deep reforms."
Germany demands Greek austerity as Syriza pledges “frenzy of reasonableness”
By Robert Stevens, 6 February 2015
At a press conference with his German counterpart, Greece’s new finance minister pleaded with the European powers to “use us to implement the European programme.”
European Central Bank tightens its grip on Greece in response to Syriza “debt swap” proposal
By Nick Beams, 6 February 2015
The European Central Bank has tightened its grip on both the Greek government and the country’s banking system.
German ruling class demands that austerity, debt payments continue after Greek elections
By Ulrich Rippert, 5 February 2015
The position of the German ruling class is that the elections in Greece must have no impact on the policies dictated by the European banks and their political representatives.
Financial markets celebrate as Syriza repudiates pledge to write off Greek debt
By Robert Stevens, 4 February 2015
The Financial Times lauded Syriza’s request for “debt swaps” as deserving of a “full and even sympathetic hearing.”
Tsipras rushes to reassure EU, banks on Greek debt
By Robert Stevens, 2 February 2015
If Greece fails to reach an agreement with its creditors on €3.5 billion due in February and March, funding could be withdrawn from its banks.
Syriza hands Greek defence ministry to right-wing nationalist
By Robert Stevens, 29 January 2015
Panos Kammenos, leader of the right-wing Independent Greeks, has built close links to the military and demanded his party be given control over defence.
Syriza’s electoral success and the pseudo-left
By Peter Schwarz, 28 January 2015
The new government of Alexis Tsipras has unleashed a wave of enthusiasm within pseudo-left organisations in Greece and internationally.
Who are the Independent Greeks?
By Robert Stevens, 28 January 2015
The Independent Greeks party, Syriza’s coalition partner, is a staging post for some of the most reactionary layers in Greek society.
Syriza forms coalition government with right-wing Independent Greeks
By Robert Stevens, 27 January 2015
Syriza‘s programme has been developed in close collaboration with sections of international finance capital.
The significance of the election of Syriza in Greece
By Chris Marsden, 27 January 2015
Syriza has come to power based upon a programme that articulates the interests of a powerful section of the Greek bourgeoisie and more privileged sections of the upper-middle class.
Syriza wins Greek elections
By Alex Lantier, 26 January 2015
While the election result reflects broad popular opposition to austerity in Greece and across Europe, Syriza is committed to the EU, the euro and the defense of capitalism.
On-the-spot coverage from Greece
Greek students describe social crisis facing youth
By our reporters, 26 January 2015
The economic crisis has forced hundreds of thousands of Greek workers and young people to leave the country in search of jobs and better prospects.
The election in Greece and the political tasks of the working class
By Peter Schwarz, 24 January 2015
Despite its left-wing facade, Syriza is a bourgeois party that rests on affluent layers of the middle class.
Greek election: SYRIZA leader calls for “new patriotic alliance”
By our reporters, 24 January 2015
Alexis Tsipras promised that, should his party come to power, it would guarantee the existing political and social order.
Unemployed Greek workers face desperate situation
By our reporters, 23 January 2015
Mass unemployment has been a permanent feature of Greek life since the imposition of austerity measures in 2010.
Workers, youth in Athens discuss upcoming election
By our reporters, 22 January 2015
Tens of thousands of Greeks now rely on food handouts and soup kitchens as a consequence of devastating austerity measures.
Pseudo-left groups in Greece line up behind SYRIZA
By Robert Stevens, 21 January 2015
The Greek sections of the International Socialist Tendency and the Committee for a Workers International are backing SYRIZA as it prepares to take power in defense of capitalism.
SYRIZA’s “anti-oligarch” policy: A call to global finance to raid Greece
By Robert Stevens, 16 January 2015
The Financial Times is trumpeting SYRIZA’s policy because it offers rich pickings for the global financial oligarchy
Tsipras urges Greek pseudo-left groups to rally behind SYRIZA
By Robert Stevens, 8 January 2015
SYRIZA is asking the pseudo-left outfits to join a government dedicated to the defence of capitalism.
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