What if we all become Greeks?

Extreme as the scenes of the mindless - and utterly unrepresentative - acts of arson and destruction in Athens were, it is sobering to contemplate that Greece is still some way from hitting rock bottom in its rapidly escalating debt crisis. That said, we are perhaps at the most dangerous phase of the process.   President Karolos Papoulias’ tirade against German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble and a collection of EU nations was the latest example of a disturbing rise in anti-German and anti-European rhetoric in this country. At the same time, it was an earnest response to Schaeuble’s provocative “bottomless pit” remarks about Greece’s spending habits.   It was also seen as the latest indication that the EU - and Germany in particular - is forcing austerity on Greece whilst preparing to cut the country adrift as a relieved but listing eurozone of 16 member states sails into the distance.   The only problem is that many of those eurozone members are now looking at Greece and questioning whether they would be next. France’s Liberation said it best this week. “What if we all became Greeks?” the daily asked. “Is what is being imposed today on this pressured and humiliated country a foretaste of what will one day be prescribed for Italy, Portugal and, why not, France?”   There is a growing fear that Greeks are being hung out to dry on the label of “untrustworthiness” that has come to define the troika’s view of this country’s politicians. Moreover, people fear they are likely to suffer the asphyxiating terms of the latest bailout, only to suffer all over again when the country defaults - but in an utterly impoverished state. Lost within the violence of a few hundred rioters on February 12 was the valid message of the masses that there is now a democratic deficit in this country: the troika’s demands, the government accepts and any politician who dares disagree is expelled from their party.   There are now a staggering 59 independent MPs in parliament, most of them the result of expulsions from Pasok and New Democracy after this and previous votes on austerity packages.   At a time when Greece is - however belatedly - following the troika’s demands to the letter, there is nothing to gain from Schaeuble, Papoulias or any other public figure fuelling the growing rage among ordinary citizens. It is a dangerous game with unknown repercussions.