The Key Battles of the Greek Bailout Saga

Greece's dramatic bailout negotiations will soon be coming to a head one way or the other. Although the Greek government has been painstakingly throwing a veil of uncertainty and misinformation over its real financial and fiscal position, most pundits would agree that state coffers are running bare and that, absent an interim, piece-meal, or final bailout agreement, Greece will not be able to pay off the consolidated IMF loan tranches coming up at the end of June. The government's finances have been stretched to their limit by dint of an internal payment moratorium and a raid on the cash reserves of local governments and pension funds.

“An Ever Closer Union” – The Impact of the Eurozone Debt Crisis on National [Party] Politics

In the wake of the Euro crisis democratically elected governments were being removed and replaced by bureaucrats or ruling parties lost elections, but because of the strait jackets imposed by the Troika, there was no change in policies.

If democracy is the space within which the people express their will, then this has been a bad time for the democratic process. It’s also been a bad time for traditional party political definitions. Lines have been blurred and parties which know what they are against with little to say on what they are for are on the rise.

We Need to Talk about Taxes: A Local Government Perspective

Introduction

My presentation will not be about who gets to foot the bill but rather about who gets to tally it, collect it and spend the proceeds.  It is connected however to the willingness to foot the bill, the part that belongs to the Greek people that is, as I hope I will be able to convince you.