2012-02-16

Naked authoritarianism in Europe

I've covered the anti-democratic nature of the EU and pro-EU politicians before and there's another example this week.

Greek rhetoric turns into battle of wills
Ahead of the call, Wolfgang Schäuble, the German finance minister, said in a radio interview Greece might delay its polls and install a technocratic government that does not include politicians like Mr Venizelos and Mr Samaras, similar to the model currently in place in Italy.

Karolos Papoulias, the Greek president, fired back during a visit to military chiefs at the defence ministry: “We are all obliged to work hard to get through this crisis, but we cannot accept insults from Mr Schäuble. Who is Mr Schäuble to insult Greece?

“Who are these Dutchmen, who are these Finns? We have always defended not only the freedom of our own country, but the freedom of Europe,” Mr Papoulias added.
An endgame of sorts may soon arrive for Greece, but this just the end of the beginning. The political battle for Europe's future will intensify when the crisis shifts to Italy and Spain. A Greece exit can leave the eurozone intact, but a Spanish or Italian exit, or both, could end the project. It will be the crisis that triggers an even greater political dispute and makes the current fight seem tame by comparison. All of which will be a result of a further decline in social mood.

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