George Papandreou and the Socialist party/PASOK are on the verge of winning. After five years of the centre-right government led by Kostas Karamanlis the Greek voters atre looking to return the Socialists to power, which had dominated Greek politics for more than a generation.
Voters have grown tired with the corruption, increasing violence, rising unemployment, failure to deal with the worst financial crisis in years and the soaring public debt .The blame is placed squarely on the New Democracy government.The Socialists have promised to restore trust in a government most Greeks see as corrupt and incompetent, and to increase meritocracy in a culture of patronage and nepotism. The Socialists were also guilty of this. One commentator referred to the economic crisis, the political crisis and the social crisis and said that the people are "fed up"
President Obama and Oprah were unable to deliver the Olympics to Chicago, but Lula and Pele were able to convince the IOC that Brazil should host the 2016 games. This is a great boost for Rio and Brazil and South America, which has never hosted the games. Now if Lula can influence change in Honduras, he will establish Brazil as a real player on the world stage and see a Brazil finally takes its place together with India and China among the big powers.
The biggest problem facing Brazil in holding the Games, is the high crime situation in Rio. Over 2,500 murders , many by the police, took place last year in Rio. Gang wars and poverty and corruption are the major reasons for the problems, and must be dealt with. It will be a most difficult task.
Oct,5, 2009 update...........Pasok has won an overwhelming victory.....the largest margin ever. New Democracy has suffered its worst defeat, since the end of military divctatorship in 1974. George Papandreou, campaigned on clean government, increased spending to revive the economy and to crack down on tax evasion, which is estimated to be about $17 billion. Tourism and shipping, the two pillars of the Greek economy have been hard hit by the economic crisis and must be revived. Greece will be looking for help from the E.U.. The win by the Socialist is a rarity in Europe, where the left has been losing ground, unable until now to capitalise on the financial crisis (last week the Center-right won in Germany and the Conservatives are way ahead in the polls in Britain).
Voters have grown tired with the corruption, increasing violence, rising unemployment, failure to deal with the worst financial crisis in years and the soaring public debt .The blame is placed squarely on the New Democracy government.The Socialists have promised to restore trust in a government most Greeks see as corrupt and incompetent, and to increase meritocracy in a culture of patronage and nepotism. The Socialists were also guilty of this. One commentator referred to the economic crisis, the political crisis and the social crisis and said that the people are "fed up"
President Obama and Oprah were unable to deliver the Olympics to Chicago, but Lula and Pele were able to convince the IOC that Brazil should host the 2016 games. This is a great boost for Rio and Brazil and South America, which has never hosted the games. Now if Lula can influence change in Honduras, he will establish Brazil as a real player on the world stage and see a Brazil finally takes its place together with India and China among the big powers.
The biggest problem facing Brazil in holding the Games, is the high crime situation in Rio. Over 2,500 murders , many by the police, took place last year in Rio. Gang wars and poverty and corruption are the major reasons for the problems, and must be dealt with. It will be a most difficult task.
Oct,5, 2009 update...........Pasok has won an overwhelming victory.....the largest margin ever. New Democracy has suffered its worst defeat, since the end of military divctatorship in 1974. George Papandreou, campaigned on clean government, increased spending to revive the economy and to crack down on tax evasion, which is estimated to be about $17 billion. Tourism and shipping, the two pillars of the Greek economy have been hard hit by the economic crisis and must be revived. Greece will be looking for help from the E.U.. The win by the Socialist is a rarity in Europe, where the left has been losing ground, unable until now to capitalise on the financial crisis (last week the Center-right won in Germany and the Conservatives are way ahead in the polls in Britain).
