Tsipras learning No. 1 EU rule: Don’t mess with Merkel

[Melech 9,900]

"ATHENS — Alexis Tsipras is flouting the cardinal rule of political survival in Europe: Don’t displease Angela Merkel.

The German chancellor’s disapproval helped end the political careers of former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and Greek leader George Papandreou.

After burning through whatever goodwill he had with Merkel’s lawmakers and the German public, the current Greek premier could be next.

The support of Merkel, politically secure in her 10th year leading Europe’s largest economy, is essential for debtor governments. Tsipras upended talks with his creditors last week calling a referendum on German-inspired austerity, a decision that left him few options if voters accept budget cuts as the cost of aid.

“We are watching the end of the political career of Alexis Tsipras,” said Jacob Kirkegaard, a senior fellow at Peterson Institute in Washington. “Mr. Tsipras can continue his career on T-shirts for students, replacing Che Guevara.”

Merkel says there will be no further debt negotiations with Greece until the outcome of the referendum is known. Euro-area finance ministers echoed that line following a conference call late Wednesday.

“It’s the legitimate right of the Greeks to do that whenever they want, on whatever question and with whatever recommendation the government wants to give,” Merkel told parliament. “But, to be clear, the other 18 euro member states have the same democratic legitimacy to duly take their position in response to the Greek decision.”

Refusing to play ball with Germany didn’t turn out well for Berlusconi, whose premiership had survived innumerable court cases and a tawdry s-x scandal. A senior lawmaker from Merkel’s Christian Democrats spoke for her party when he urged Berlusconi to resign in November 2011 to allow Italy to fix its economy. A few days later he did just that.

Papandreou learned a similar lesson the same year. When he called a bailout referendum, Merkel insisted to him that the question focus on remaining in the euro — as Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble recounted Wednesday in German parliament. The ensuing turmoil in Greece, and within his own socialist party, forced Papandreou to resign and the vote was scrapped.

“This is the historical truth,” Schaeuble said.

Whether Tsipras can continue in office will depend largely on the outcome of the plebiscite on Sunday. His left-wing Syriza party is urging voters to reject the program of tax hikes and spending cuts proposed by eurozone finance ministers.

A “no” vote could propel the country out of the euro, an outcome that opinion polls show most Greeks want to avoid. Tsipras says that result would strengthen his leverage and yield a better bailout deal.

A win for the “yes” camp, backed by Greece’s main opposition parties and the rest of the euro-area leaders, would constitute a public rebuke of Tsipras.

Merkel’s influence isn’t entirely welcomed in Athens.

When asked Thursday if Merkel is pushing for regime change, Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis cited a stock phrase uttered by a fictional British politician. “You may very well say that,” he said. “I couldn’t possibly comment.”

http://www.omaha.com/money/greece-s-tsipras-learning-no-eu-rule-don-t-mess/article_8e4deca8-f070-5b96-a5a0-274eeb079319.html

 

Greece is such in a mess right now. You can think of Merkel whatever you think ,but it's somehow amazing how a woman is so powerful in a world full of male leaders 

[LaMaisonGaga 23,884]

Greece, get your **** together 

[faux 2,190]

Tsprias is a ****head.

[Supersonic 49,376]

Tbh, it's not a matter of messing with Merkel, it's about making reasonable good decisions. And he's just not doing any.

[Luc 4,776]

I dislike Varoufakis more than Tsipras. Varoufakis is the most arrogant politician I've seen so far. He doesn't care about the Greeks, he just wants to get a lot of Greeks to support him in opinion polls to boost his ego. I support taxing the rich, tackling corruption and tax evasion. And Greece can achieve that with a good deal (and good execution of it, after which Greece might get debt relief!). But what they have achieved so far is capital controls, nobody has money, Greek economy's declining again, unemployment is rising again and likely next week the banks will choose to take 30% of all money over €8000 on Greek banks. He keeps lying ("we're very close to a deal!!" - yesterday) and does not at all seek for a compromise.

[Didymus 34,380]

This article is ****. These politicians destroy themselves, it barely has anything to do with Merkel insisting on anything. Tsipras being pushed off the table entirely depends on the Greek public.