Austerity has brought Europe to an impasse, SYRIZA leader says

Austerity has led Europe to a dead end, main opposition SYRIZA party leader Alexis Tsipras told the German news agency DPA in an interview on Friday.

Tsipras asked for an end to austerity, for the renegotiation of Greece’s bailout deal and restructuring of the country’s debt “so that it becomes sustainable and opens the way for Greece’s return to growth.”

He clarified, though, he did not plan any unilateral actions regarding the country’s debt and pointed out “we will act unilaterally only if we have to – we believe we can find a solution, which would be viable and constructive for all sides.”

Tsipras lashed out at German Chancellor Angela Merkel over her part in the debt crisis, noting that German lenders have eventually benefited from her actions. He termed Merkel’s strategy as shortsighted as in the long term it involves “a breakup risk for Europe and the eurozone.”

He also commented on recent statements by Martin Schulz - the present head of the European Parliament, leader of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the Europarliament and candidate for president of the European Commission - that leaders of the member states should be jointly responsible for the European Council’s unanimous decisions and not just Merkel.

“Is Schulz a Social Democrat candidate, or a candidate for Merkel and CDU (Christian Democratic Union)?” Tsipras wondered. “In his interview, I was under the impression that he publicly expressed his wish to be Merkel’s preferred candidate for Europe. The question is if the Social Democrats social base shares his wish.”

He said he wondered if “SPD’s (Social Democratic Party) ordinary voters want a rampant in Europe or a Europe that would counterbalance neoliberalism’s arrogance and arbitrariness in a democratic way.”

He added that an alliance between Schulz and Merkel could only guarantee that austerity, recession and unemployment would continue.
“We are addressing the ordinary German citizen, who traditionally votes for SPD: we urge him/her to vote for the European left at the May 25 polls and send a message of hope and change.”