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Resistance
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Title: Governments across Europe tremble as angry people take to the streets
Source: [None]
URL Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/ ... obal-recession-europe-protests
Published: Feb 4, 2009
Author: Ian Traynor,
Post Date: 2009-02-04 07:39:19 by PSUSA
Keywords: None
Views: 129
Comments: 6

Governments across Europe tremble as angry people take to the streets

France paralysed by a wave of strike action, the boulevards of Paris resembling a debris-strewn battle‚57;eld. The Hungarian currency sinks to its lowest level ever against the euro, as the unemployment ‚57;gure rises. Greek farmers block the road into Bulgaria in protest at low prices for their produce. New ‚57;gures from the biggest bank in the Baltic show that the three post-Soviet states there face the biggest recessions in Europe.

It's a snapshot of a single day – yesterday – in a Europe sinking into the bleakest of times. But while the outlook may be dark in the big wealthy democracies of western Europe, it is in the young, poor, vulnerable states of central and eastern Europe that the trauma of crash, slump and meltdown looks graver.

Exactly 20 years ago, in serial revolutionary rejoicing, they ditched communism to put their faith in a capitalism now in crisis and by which they feel betrayed. The result has been the biggest protests across the former communist bloc since the days of people power.

Europe's time of troubles is gathering depth and scale. Governments are trembling. Revolt is in the air. Athens

Alexandros Grigoropoulos, a 15-year-old middle-class boy going to a party in a rough neighbourhood on a December Saturday, was the first fatality of Europe's season of strife. Shot dead by a policeman, the boy's killing lit a bonfire of unrest in the city unmatched since the 1970s.

There are many wellsprings of the serial protests rolling across Europe. In Athens, it was students and young people who suddenly mobilised to turn parts of the city into no-go areas. They were sick of the lack of jobs and prospects, the failings of the education system and seized with pessimism over their future.

This week it was the farmers' turn, rolling their tractors out to block the motorways, main road and border crossings across the Balkans to try to obtain better procurement prices for their produce. Riga

The old Baltic trading city had seen nothing like it since the happy days of kicking out the Russians and overthrowing communism two decades ago. More than 10,000 people converged on the 13th-century cathedral to show the Latvian government what they thought of its efforts at containing the economic crisis. The peaceful protest morphed into a late-night rampage as a minority headed for the parliament, battled with riot police and trashed parts of the old city. The following day there were similar scenes in Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital next door.

After Iceland, Latvia looks like the most vulnerable country to be hammered by the financial and economic crisis. The EU and IMF have already mounted a €7.5bn (£6.6bn) rescue plan but the outlook is the worst in Europe.

The biggest bank in the Baltic, Swedbank of Sweden, yesterday predicted a slump this year in Latvia of a whopping 10%, more than double the previous projections. It added that the economy of Estonia would shrink by 7% and of Lithuania by 4.5%.

The Latvian central bank's governor went on national television this week to pronounce the economy "clinically dead. We have only three or four minutes to resuscitate it". Paris

Burned-out cars, masked youths, smashed shop windows, and more than a million striking workers. The scenes from France are familiar, but not so familiar to President Nicolas Sarkozy, confronting the first big wave of industrial unrest of his time in the Elysée Palace.

Sarkozy has spent most of his time in office trying to fix the world's problems, with less attention devoted to the home front. From Gaza to Georgia, Russia to Washington, Sarkozy has been a man in a hurry to mediate in trouble spots and grab the credit for peacemaking.

France, meanwhile, is moving into recession and unemployment is going up. The latest jobless figures were to have been released yesterday, but were held back, apparently for fear of inflaming the protests. Budapest

A balance of payments crisis last autumn, heavy indebtedness and a disastrous budget made Hungary the first European candidate for an international rescue. The $26bn (£18bn) IMF-led bail-out shows scant sign of working. Industrial output is at its lowest for 16 years, the national currency - the forint - sank to a record low against the euro yesterday and the government also announced another round of spending cuts yesterday.

So far the streets have been relatively quiet. The Hungarian misery highlights a key difference between eastern and western Europe. While the UK, Germany, France and others plough hundreds of billions into public spending, tax cuts, bank bailouts and guarantees to industry, the east Europeans (plus Iceland and Ireland) are broke, ordering budget cuts, tax rises, and pleading for international help to shore up their economies.

The austerity and the soaring costs of repaying bank loans and mortgages taken out in hard foreign currencies (euro, yen and dollar) are fuelling the misery. Kiev

The east European upheavals of 1989 hit Ukraine late, maturing into the Orange Revolution on the streets of Kiev only five years ago. The fresh start promised by President Viktor Yushchenko has, though, dissolved into messy, corrupt, and brutal political infighting, with the economy, growing strongly a few years ago, going into freefall.

Three weeks of gas wars with Russia this month ended in defeat and will cost Ukraine dearly. The national currency, at less than half the value of six months ago, is akin to the fate of Iceland's wrecked krona. Ukrainians have been buying dollars by the billion. In November the IMF waded in with the first payments in a $16bn rescue package.

The vicious power struggles between Yushchenko and the prime minister, Yuliya Tymoshenko, are consuming the ruling elite's energy, paralysing government and leaving the economy dysfunctional. Russia is doing its best to keep things that way. Reykjavik

Proud of its status as one of the world's most developed, most productive and most equal societies, Iceland is in the throes of what is, by its staid standards, a revolution.

Riot police in Reykjavik, the coolest of capitals. Building bonfires in front of the world's oldest parliament. The yoghurt flying at the free market men who have run the country for decades and brought it to its knees.

An openly gay prime minister takes over today as head of a caretaker government. The neocon right has been ditched. The hard left Greens are, at least for the moment, the most popular party in the small Arctic state with a population the size of Bradford.

The IMF's bailout teams have moved in with $11bn. The national currency, the krona, appears to be finished. Iceland is a test case of how one of the most successful societies on the globe suddenly failed.

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Poster Comment:

News you won't find on CNN (1 image)

Post Comment   Private Reply   Ignore Thread  

#1. To: PSUSA (#0)

Europe are nations of eternal war. Screw 'em. And Africa, and Asia, and the rest of the world.

No place is better than Turtle Island.

Turtle  posted on  2009-02-04   7:48:19 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  

Indeed, you won't find this material on CNN and that's b/c our media is corporate owned and America has ONE POLITICAL PARTY with two very, very similar wings.

I was talking with a friend about this issue yesterday, and we both wondered why Americans aren't in the streets, since much of this global mess began here. We concluded that in Europe people can align themselves with a wide variety of political parties, each with leadership and distinct goals. Below is a list of most of the major political parties in Europe. Many are distasteful to me, but they all represent all alternative to the ONE PARTY RULE some asshat Americans think is a desirable goal.

BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF">

By Party

Socialist People's Party (Den-1); Left-Wing League (Fin-1); French Communist Party (Fr-4); Independent (Fr-2); Workers Fight (Fr-3); Revolutionary Communist League (Fr-2); Party of Democratic Socialism (Ger-6); Communist Party of Greece (Grk-3); Democratic Social Movement (Grk-2); Progressive Left Coalition (Grk-2); Communist Refoundation Party (It-4); Italian Communist Party (It-2); Socialist Party (Neth-1); United Democratic Coalition (Port-2); United Left (Sp-4); Left Party (Swd-3)

European Federation of Green Parties & European Free Alliance (Greens) (47)

Green Alternative (Aus-2); Agalev (Bel-2); Ecologists (Bel-3); People's Union-ID21 (Bel-2); Green Party (Br-2); Plaid Cymru (Br-2); Scottish National Party (Br-2); Green League (Fin-2); Greens (Fr-9); Alliance 90/The Greens (Ger-6); Green Party (Ire-2); Federation of Greens (It-2); The Green (Lux-1); Green Left (Neth-4); Andalusian Party (Sp-1); Basque Solidarity (Sp-1); Basque Nationalist Party (Sp-1); Galician Nationalist Bloc (Sp-1); Green Ecology Party (Swd-2)

Party of European Socialists (180)

Austrian Social Democratic Party (Aus-7); Socialist Party (Flemish. Bel-2); Socialist Party (Walloon. Bel-3); Labour Party (Br-29); Social Democratic and Labour Party (Br-1); Social Democratic Party (Den-3); Finnish Social Democratic Party (Fin-3); Socialist Party (Fr-18); Citizens Movement (Fr-2); Radical Party of the Left (Fr-2); Social Democratic Party (Ger-34); Panhellenic Socialist Movement (Grk-9); Labour Party (Ire-1); Democratic Party of the Left (It-15); Italian Democratic Socialist (It-1); Socialist Workers' Party (Lux-2); Labour Party (Neth-6); Portuguese Socialist Party (Port-12); Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (Sp-24); Social Democratic Labour Party (Swd-6)

European Liberal, Democrat and Reform Party (Liberals) (51)

Flemish Liberals and Democrats (Bel-3); Liberal Reformation Party (Bel-2) Liberal Democratic Party (Br-10); Liberal Party (Den-5); Radical Liberal Party (Den-1); Finnish Center (Fin-4); Swedish People's Party (Fin-1); Independent (Ire-1); Democrats (It-5); Italian Republican Party (It-1); Northern League for the Independence of Padania (It-1); Valdostan Union (It-1); Democratic Party (Lux-1); People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (Neth-6); Democrats 66 (Neth-2); Democratic Convergence of Catalonia (Sp-2); Canarian Coalition (Sp-1); Center Party (Swd-1); Liberal People's Party (Swd-3)

European People's Party & European Democrats (Conservatives) (233)

Austrian People's Party (Aus-7); Christian People's Party (Bel-3); Social Christian Party (Bel-1); Christian Social Party (Bel-1); Citizens Movement for Change (Bel-1); Conservative Party (Br-36); Ulster Unionist Party (Br-1); Conservative People's Party (Den-1); National Coalition (Fin-4); Christian League of Finland (Fin-1); Rally for the Republic (Fr-12); Union for French Democracy (Fr-9); Christian Democratic Union (Ger-43); Christian Social Union (Ger-10); New Democracy (Grk-9); Fine Gael (Ire-4); Independent (Ire-1); Italian Popular Party (It-4); Forward Italy (It-22); Christian Democratic Centre (It-2); United Christian Democrats (It-2); Democratic Union (It-1); Italian Renewal (It-1); South Tyrol People's Party (It-1); Pensioners' Party (It-1); Christian Social People's Party (Lux-2); Christian Democratic Appeal (Neth-9); Social Democratic Party (Port-9); Popular Party (Sp-27); Democratic Union of Catalonia (Sp-1); Christian Democratic Party (Swd-2); Moderate Rally Party (Swd-5)

Union for a Europe of Nations (Eurosceptic) (30)

Danish People's Party (Den-1); Rally for France and the Independence of Europe (Fr-12); Fianna Fail (Ire-6); National Alliance/Segni Pact (It-9); People's Party (Port-2)

Europe of Democracies and Diversities (Eurosceptic) (16)

United Kingdom Independence Party (Br-3); June Movement (Den-3); People's Movement against the EU (Den-1); Hunting, Fishing, Nature, Traditions (Fr-6); Political Reformed Party (Neth-1); Reformed Political Union (Neth-1); Reformed Political Federation (Neth-1)

Technical Group of Independent Members (Various) (18)

Flemish Bloc (Rt. Bel-2); National Front (Rt. Fr-5); Radical Party (Rad. It-6); Northern League (Reg. It-4); Social Movement (Rt. It-1)

Non-affiliated (9)

Freedom Party (Rt. Aus-5); Democratic Unionist Party (Rt. Br-1); Independent (ES. Fr-1); Italian Social Democratic Party (Rt. It-1); We Basques (Reg. Sp-1)

MEPS BY COUNTRY

Austria (21)

Green Alternative (Grn-2); Austrian Social Democratic Party (Soc-7); Austrian People's Party (Consv-7); Freedom Party (Rt-5. NA)

Belgium (25)

Agalev (Grn-2); Ecologists (Grn-3); People's Union-ID21 (Grn-2); Socialist Party (Flemish. Soc-2); Socialist Party (Walloon. Soc-3); Flemish Liberals and Democrats (Lib-3); Liberal Reformation Party (Lib-2); Christian People's Party (Consv-3); Social Christian Party (Consv-1); Christian Social Party (Consv-1); Citizens Movement for Change (Consv-1); Flemish Bloc (Rt-2, TG)

Britain (87)

Green Party (Grn-2); Plaid Cymru (Grn-2); Scottish National Party (Grn-2); Labour Party (Soc-29); Social Democratic and Labour Party (Soc-1); Liberal Democratic Party (Lib-10); Conservative Party (Consv-36); Ulster Unionist Party (Consv-1); Democratic Unionist Party (Rt-1, NA); United Kingdom Independence Party (ES-3. EDD)

Denmark (16)

Socialist People's Party (Com-1); Social Democratic Party (Soc-3); Liberal Party (Lib-5); Radical Liberal Party (Lib-1); Conservative People's Party (Consv-1); Danish People's Party (ES-1. UEN); June Movement (ES-3. EDD); People's Movement against the EU (ES-1. EDD)

Finland (16)

Left-Wing League (Com-1); Green League (Grn-2); Finnish Social Democratic Party (Soc-3); Finnish Center (Lib-4); Swedish People's Party (Lib-1); National Coalition (Consv-4); Christian League of Finland (Consv-1)

France (87)

French Communist Party (Com-4); Independent (Com-2); Workers Fight (Com-3); Revolutionary Communist League (Com-2); Greens (Grn-9); Socialist Party (Soc-18); Citizens Movement (Soc-2); Radical Party of the Left (Soc-2); Rally for the Republic (Consv-12); Union for French Democracy (Consv-9); Rally for France and the Independence of Europe (ES-12. UEN); Hunting, Fishing, Nature, Traditions (ES-6. EDD); National Front (Rt-5. TG); Independent (ES-1. NA)

Germany (99)

Party of Democratic Socialism (Com-6); Alliance 90/The Greens (Grn-6); Social Democratic Party (Soc-34); Christian Democratic Union (Consv-43); Christian Social Union (Consv-10)

Greece (25)

Communist Party of Greece (Com-3); Democratic Social Movement (Com-2); Progressive Left Coalition (Com-2); Panhellenic Socialist Movement (Soc-9); New Democracy (Consv-9)

Ireland (15)

Green Party (Grn-2); Labour Party (Soc-1); Independent (Lib-1); Fine Gael (Consv-4); Independent (Consv-1); Fianna Fail (ES-6. UEN)

Italy (87)

Communist Refoundation Party (Com-4); Italian Communist Party (Com-2); Federation of Greens (Grn-2); Democratic Party of the Left (Soc-15); Italian Democratic Socialists (Soc-1); Democrats (Lib-5); Italian Republican Party (Lib-1); Northern League for the Independence of Padania (Lib-1); Valdostan Union (Lib-1); Italian Popular Party (Consv-4); Forward Italy (Consv-22); Christian Democratic Centre (Consv-2); United Christian Democrats (Consv-2); Democratic Union (Consv-1); Italian Renewal (Consv-1); South Tyrol People's Party (Consv-1); Pensioners' Party (Consv-1); National Alliance/Segni Pact (ES-9. UEN); Radical Party (Rad-6. TG); Northern League (Reg-4. TG); Social Movement (Rt-1. TG); Italian Social Democratic Party (Rt-1. NA)

Luxembourg (6)

The Green (Grn-1); Socialist Workers' Party (Soc-2); Democratic Party (Lib-1); Christian Social People's Party (Consv-2)

Netherlands (31)

Socialist Party (Com-1); Green Left (Grn-4); Labour Party (Soc-6); People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (Lib-6); Democrats 66 (Lib-2); Christian Democratic Appeal (Consv-9); Political Reformed Party (ES-1. EDD); Reformed Political Union (ES-1. EDD); Reformed Political Federation (ES-1. EDD)

Portugal (25)

United Democratic Coalition (Com-2); Portuguese Socialist Party (Soc-12); Social Democratic Party (Consv-9); People's Party (ES-2. UEN)

Spain (64)

United Left (Com-4); Andalusian Party (Grn-1); Basque Solidarity (Grn-1); Basque Nationalist Party (Grn-1); Galician Nationalist Bloc (Grn-1); Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (Soc-24); Democratic Convergence of Catalonia (Lib-2); Canarian Coalition (Lib-1); Popular Party (Consv-27); Democratic Union of Catalonia (Consv-1); We Basques (Reg-1. NA)

Sweden (22)

Left Party (Com-3); Green Ecology Party (Grn-2); Social Democratic Labour Party (Soc-6); Center Party (Lib-1); Liberal People's Party (Lib-3); Christian Democratic Party (Consv-2); Moderate Rally Party (Consv-5)

ABBREVIATIONS

Parties

Com = Communist
Grn = Greens
Rad = Radical
Soc = Socialist
Lib = Liberal
Consv = Conservative
Rt = Rightist
ES = Eurosceptic
Reg = Regional
TG = Technical Group
NA = Non-affiliated

Countries

Aus = Austria
Bel = Belgium
Br = Britain
Den = Denmark
Fin = Finland
Fr = France
Ger = Germany
Grk = Greece
Ire = Ireland
It = Italy
Lux = Luxembourg
Neth = Netherlands
Nor = Norway
Port = Portugal
Sp = Spain
Swd = Sweden
<

Jethro Tull  posted on  2009-02-04   7:53:10 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  

Many are distasteful to me, but they all represent all alternative to the ONE PARTY RULE some asshat Americans think is a desirable goal.

Exactly. And they are so spread out that, probably, gridlock is the norm. I love gridlock. The more gridlock we have, the happier I am.

Click for Privacy and Preparedness files

PSUSA  posted on  2009-02-04   7:58:44 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  

I love gridlock. The more gridlock we have, the happier I am.

Exactly, back at 'ya. When the Rs and Ds melted into each other and became the RDs, any chance of gridlock vanished. The quibbling you see over massive central initiatives is a back room deal done in public, for the consumption of the RUBES on both the left and right.

Jethro Tull  posted on  2009-02-04   8:06:35 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  

When the Rs and Ds melted into each other and became the RDs, any chance of gridlock vanished. The quibbling you see over massive central initiatives is a back room deal done in public, for the consumption of the RUBES on both the left and right.

We are of like mind.

And add the merging of corporations (more or less) and a surveillance police state and a "unitary executive" with a phony reichstag and a judiciary full of Roland Freisler type judges and what do you have? A 1 party fascist dictatorship. It's here now.

Got to give the devil his due. They played it brilliantly. But they didnt take certain things into account. It will bite them in the ass. Happens every time people think they want to rule the world.

Click for Privacy and Preparedness files

PSUSA  posted on  2009-02-04   8:20:53 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  

Got to give the devil his due. They played it brilliantly

That they did. They split America into two camps - 40% D and 40% R - with a group in the middle falling to one side or the other, given which sound bite they like the best. When the Power successfully created the illusion that a 3rd party vote was a wasted vote, it became game, set match.

Jethro Tull  posted on  2009-02-04   8:31:02 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  

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