MacroPolis

EU Task Force sees improvements in Greece, tends to damaged ties

By: Nick Malkoutzis

The European Union Task Force for Greece noted on Tuesday “striking improvements” in the country’s absorption of structural and cohesion funding and an “accelerated pace of change” in public administration reforms. The report is the latest stage in the attempt by the European Commission to provide Greece with tangible help that goes some way to mending broken ties.

Submarine deal resurfaces, threatening new political divisions

Ex-Defence Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos was jailed for money laundering last week but his legacy continues to cause turmoil in Greek politics. The fallout from the submarine deal he signed while at the ministry is at the heart of SYRIZA’s latest political assault on the government and is threatening to cause a rift between the two parties within the coalition.

Coalition in a bind as debt relief slips away and more austerity looms

The possibility of having to implement around 2 billion euros in new austerity measures next year and not discovering what form further debt relief might take until the middle of 2014 has suddenly put the Greek government on tenterhooks.

Golden Dawn draws support from surprising sources to retain popularity

Golden Dawn maintains a strong following in Athens, a new poll has shown, but it is drawing support from sources that many Greeks and commentators might find surprising.

Greek centre-left in search of new roots with own Olive Tree alliance

A potentially significant moment in Greece’s centre left, and perhaps Greek politics in general, is due to take place this week. The inaugural proclamation of a new centre left movement is due to be presented on Wednesday, with its authors hoping to replicate Italy’s Olive Tree alliance, founded under the leadership of Romano Prodi in 1995.

Samaras ratchets up tension in clash with SYRIZA over violence

Tension has seeped through Greek politics in the wake of the Golden Dawn arrests but Prime Minister Antonis Samaras appears to have decided to play on this polarisation. On Friday, he launched a new attack on unidentified opposition parties, which he accused of not providing a blanket condemnation of violence.

For Stournaras, it's out of the frying pan and into the heating oil

One of the more contentious fiscal measures of the last three years was the decision to raise the consumption tax on heating oil last year to equal the levy on vehicle fuel. There is now a struggle within the Samaras administration over whether to roll back the tax.

Ex-minister's jailing a boost for faltering sense of justice

Former Defence Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos was jailed for 20 years on Monday after being found guilty of money laundering. Although the ex-PASOK veteran will serve only a fraction of this sentence, his conviction is notable moment in Greek politics as it is the first time a frontline political figure has been found guilty of corruption since the early 1990s.

Polls give New Democracy wafer-thin lead over SYRIZA

Two new opinion polls were made public late on Monday night. Both put New Democracy narrowly ahead of SYRIZA and had Golden Dawn as Greece’s third biggest party, reaffirming the figures that have been seen in the past few days from other surveys.

Golden Dawn support down to 2012 levels but with potential to rise again, poll shows

Support for Golden Dawn has fallen to pre-election levels according a new poll, which also suggests that about a fifth of Greeks do not have a dim view of the neofascist party despite the recent arrest of its leadership.