On 6th May Greece is running elections involved in a big financial crisis and governed, so far, by a coallition Government led by the technocrat Lukas Papademos. The public debt (160% GDP) is being the main Achilles heel, but one must not forget the important austerity measures applied, whose effects are already seen in the society. The unemployment rate has rised up to almost 22%, wages are getting lower, and prices higher which makes a vicious circle of much less consumerism and redundancies.
Thus, the new Government will have to be kind with Brussels, and the troika and follow the agreements already signed, but it should not stop taking into account what the public opinion thinks and feels. Precisely, this is one of the reasons that is many experts considers to explain a potential rising of extremist political parties.
FERNANDO GUTIÉRREZ CHICO analyzes what is likely going on the Greek voting with the help of George Tzogopoulos, Reseach fellow at the think tank ELIAMEP of Athens, and author of the book 'The Greek Drama in the Media'.
