Crisis and Resistance: The Struggle Continues in Greece

Socialism 2017

August 15, 2017

In January 2015, SYRIZA was swept into office in Greece. There was immense hope that the new government, led by a party that had remained uncompromising in its opposition to austerity, would stand up to the European Union and defend working-class living standards ravaged by the economic crisis and the punishing Memorandums demanded by the so-called “Troika”—the European Commission, European Central Bank, and the International Monetary Fund, which together own billions in Greek debt. Yet by July of that year, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras had capitulated, signing a new Memorandum. Since then, attacks on workers, the poor and immigrants have continued unabated. In the aftermath of this surrender, left-wing organizations and individuals left SYRIZA and founded a new formation, called Popular Unity. In this meeting, revolutionaries from Greece will examine the new political context in Greece, draw some lessons of the SYRIZA experience, and assess the way forward for the left.

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