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Radical Left Gets Shot at Running Greece

Eurozone exit more likely than ever after election revolt

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted May 8, 2012 7:38 AM CDT

(Newser) – Irate Greek voters may have shoved their country out of the eurozone for good in Sunday's election, by crippling the mainstream parties that voted for the country's bailout. The head of the Conservative New Democracy Party gave up trying to form a ruling coalition within hours yesterday, the Washington Post reports, passing the baton off to the party with the next most votes—the Radical Left Coalition. They're unlikely to succeed either, but if they did it would be Greece's first leftist government in modern history.

Left Coalition head Alexis Tsipras is vehemently opposed to the bailout and all who support it; he's already rejected an offer from New Democracy to cooperate. "We're not going to let in through the window what Greek people kicked out the door," he said, according to Reuters. If no party can form a government, new elections will have to be held. But Greece only has a month to come up with $14 billion in spending cuts according to its bailout agreement—and European leaders yesterday indicated they'd hold them to that.

This Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2012 file photo, shows a worker cleaning a sign for the Bank of Greece from red and black paint, after Sunday's riots, in Athens.
This Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2012 file photo, shows a worker cleaning a sign for the Bank of Greece from red and black paint, after Sunday's riots, in Athens.   (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
In this Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012, file photo, riot police officers try to extinguish flames from a petrol bomb thrown by protestors outside the Greek parliament, in Athens.
In this Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012, file photo, riot police officers try to extinguish flames from a petrol bomb thrown by protestors outside the Greek parliament, in Athens.   (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Alexis Tsipras, the leader of Greece's Radical Left Coalition party (SYRIZA) delivers a statement at the party's headquarters in Athens, May 7, 2012.
Alexis Tsipras, the leader of Greece's Radical Left Coalition party (SYRIZA) delivers a statement at the party's headquarters in Athens, May 7, 2012.   (AP Photo/Kostas Tsironis)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 8 comments
GenericLeftist
May 8, 2012 12:16 PM CDT
Greece has always had radical left leadership, it's the reason they are where they are. Bullshit article.
Deleted
May 8, 2012 10:41 AM CDT
What could go wrong here?
Non-deep-thinker
May 8, 2012 9:08 AM CDT
See ya, Greece.
 

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