September 21, 2015

Same old, same old. But different.

editor:	Gurmeet Singh

Déjà vu is the feeling of having experienced something you've never experienced before. Déjà entendu, however, is feeling you've experienced something before - but you're not exactly sure when or where. Well, the latter seems closer to Greek and European experience this morning: Alexis Tspiras and Syriza will form the new government, with just 5 seats short of a majority.

The purpose of the election was to see-off the party-revolt that loomed after Tspiras accepted the terms offered to him by the Troika which included more austerity for the sake of a bailout package.

Tspiras broke election promises in his first go in office, being sworn in as Prime Minister in January this year, when he accepted the terms. Now he's renewed his mandate to govern, but has lost credibility among many left-wing groups and thinkers worldwide.

Well, we might not like it - but more austerity is what the Greek people have endorsed the agenda. It feels a lot like the start of the year, but it's different. Then, Syriza offered the Greek people and the rest of Europe a way out of austerity, and a way to challenge the increasingly harsh, anti-democratic practices of the EU. Now, they work for those practices.

Let's hope the new government can serve the people as well as they hoped in January.