Coalition government partner Independent Greeks (ANEL) expelled one lawmaker for having said on television this morning that he will vote YES in Sunday’s referendum. THe MP was expelled in less than 2 hours after his statement, the party wants him to return the seat.
From what it is said on the media, the MP was willing indeed to return his seat to ANEL and do not keep it as independent lawmaker, thus weakening the government’s Parliamentary majority – currently 167 seats.
Together with three more ANEL MPs, the lawmaker had called on the government to cancel the Referendum. Some declared to vote YES if it proceeds, at least one said he would not go to ballot box.
ANEL leader and Defense Minister Panos Kammenos warned the rest of defiant lawmakers “We have war! Whoever cannot abide, goes!”
As for SYRIZA, there are allegedly some lawmakers who have some reservations with regards to future economic perspective of the country given the creditors’ threats, blackmails and implacability, but so far nobody dared to oppose the party line publicly.
The country is suffering from a very strong polarization especially under the shadow of bank holiday and capital controls. With the exception of Communist KKE, all opposition parties together with mainstream media and hand in hand with creditors support YES. They use all possible and impossible means to “scare the grannies” – as we say here – .
“New Democracy’s Kyriakos Mitsotakis tries 2 scare voters by showing banknote of Zimbabwe>
* Kyr Mitsotakis is son of well-known Mitsotakis’ family, one of the many political families sending their ‘kids’ to Greek Parliament.
In contrast, government ministers and lawmakers, the NO-defenders, argue with political arguments. Furthermore, they are not so “skilled” to win debates on TV panels like the ND & PASOK politicians who have made this their profession.
Nevertheless, when asked by gov’t politicians, neither ND nor PASOK find words to explain who and how ruined the country and pushed it to IMF in 2010.
PS If the government is to lose the Referendum the loss will be on Communication strategies and PR. Unless, the SYRIZA do indeed want to lose it…
Dear KTG, as you obviously support a “NO” – what do you expect to happen if “No” gets the majority?
“We have war! Whoever cannot abide, goes!”
Panos Kammenos is 100% right. I do not know him or his party very well, from what I know many people call him “crazy” and stuff like that. But from what I can tell, since the start of this process, he has always had the correct approach. Maybe those who think he is crazy do not realize that we live in completly “crazy” and “Chaotic” times. Panos just expresses the reality of these times better and more accurately than others.
At least, seen from afar (which sometimes gives u a better prespective actually)
Of course, there are many deeper meanings to the Yes/no choice. But one of them is clear: Yes indicates a lack of support for the current government. If you are a member of the current government, then this is open rebellion — and you should be sacked or resign.
Is this Democracy to do what your party leader wants? I don’t think so. In US, many times Democrats or Republicans vote against their party line, and nobody thinks that they should resign…
This crisis is becoming less about money and more about political democracy. A vote for oxi means taking a stand against the globalists control of “common people”. My prayers go out to the greek children who don’t have a say in what will affect them in the coming decades. Long live greek democracy.
BRAVO!
Surrendering to the troika demands equals economic and social suicide. The only option is to resist. If oxi wins it will increase the chance of Podemos winning later this year in Spain. The troika knows this, mainly for this reason they strive for regime change in Greece.
A NAI vote on Sunday is the equivalent of selling out Greece for 30 pieces of Silver.