Greece forced to amend its constitution as part of the bailout deal!

It emerged that Greece will be forced to amend its constitution as part of the bailout deal. The BBC reports that: Within the next two months, Greece will also have to amend its constitution to give priority to debt repayments over the funding of government services. Just amazing. Without a doubt, this is the greatest [...]

How Europe became Germany’s perfect gunboat

Athens has begun to burn. Since 2008, Greece has sacrificed everything – up to and including its multi-party democracy – in order to ensure that French and German banks can continue to recieve tribute on their loans, and that the Euro can go on in its present form. On sunday night, a people with little [...]

Greece’s multi-party democracy has been supplanted by one party – The Austerity Party

A week can be a long time in the debasement of politics. Just last Sunday, Prime Minister Papandreou appeared to salvage a smidgeon of honor for his government, when he announced that the Greek people would be given a referendum on the austerity-bailout package. For two years the Greek people have struggled with mounting pain [...]

Referendum vote result: across the divide, the political classes line up against the people

Well the results are in, and the motion calling for a referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU was defeated by 413 votes to 111 – courtesy of all the major political parties. The political classes have, in other words, lifted two fingers to those whom they are supposed to represent. It has been clear [...]

What the Conservative split on Europe is really about

There are serious tensions building up within the Conservative Party ahead of tomorrow, as MPs prepare on whether Britain should have an in/out referendum on the EU. Cameron has whipped has MPs to vote against it, and the possibility of a minor rebellion has generated numerous column inches. However most commentators have failed to grasp [...]

Conspiracy to remove Cathy Ashton proves marginally more democratic than conspiracy to appoint her

You can always tell when leadership positions at the European Union are about to change hands. The first clue, is that no form of voting occurs. The second clue is that we the public are made privvy to a few muffled and anonymous whispers, and a blurry picture emerges of an elite game of chess [...]

Closed door trials, and detention without outside contact, are no barriers to extradition – Assange case reveals.

Assange has now lost his extradition case and looks set to be heading to Sweden. Thankfully most people have now gotten over the idea that the acts alleged to have taken place do not really constitute sexual assault – if true,  then they  certainly do.  Yet today’s judgement, over whether Assange should be extradited, nonetheless [...]

The Best Way to Promote Female Equality is to Give Men More Rights

EU gotta be kidding! Yesterday’s vote in the European Parliament’s to extend maternity leave to 20 weeks on full pay across the EU should be welcomed by anyone who believes the work-life balance in the UK needs to be seriously revised. If approved, which is far from certain given Conservative opposition in Britain, it will [...]

“There will be blood “: Austerity and Democracy in Greece and The Eurozone

It is rare to hear  government ministers predicting revolt. Yet in recent days, the Minister for Labour in Greece’s social-democratic government has done just that. Mr Lomberdos has warned that the package of austerity measures that his government are poised to implement  will lead to “blood”. Already Greece has seen strikes and occupations. Like Britain, [...]

Egemen Bagis in Greece

Guest post by Christos Loutradis Yesterday, Egemen Bagis, Turkey’s chief EU negotiator, gave a speech in Greece on strengthening ties between the former rivals, Turkey’s EU candidacy and how to resolve the thorny issue of Cyprus. Press-Gr’s Christos Loutradis reports for The Third Estate It was a speech of lifting taboos. Egemen Bagis, chief EU [...]