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Jordi Rodríguez Virgili, Professor of Legal Institutions, University of Navarra, Spain

Towards a failed state?

Wed, 09 May 2012 11:07:18 +0000 Published in La Razón

The parliamentary fragmentation after the elections has prevented the center right from forming a government, are we facing a dead end?
-That bipartisanship that has worked for almost 40 years, between New Democracy and Pasok, has failed to reach an absolute majority by two seats and any other subject of agreement is very difficult. It is indeed a dead end. Several scenarios are now open. One would be for someone to give in. It would have to look at the Democratic Left with the other lefts and form a union or support New Democracy and Pasok. For this to happen Europe would also have to move its chips. The Troika would have to give a little on the Greek debt. The second scenario is to go through new elections. And the least desirable scenario is for things to become more radicalized. Anything can happen in Greece.

The leftists Syriza, the second most voted, are in favor of the euro but against austerity. What impact can it have on the euro zone?
-The strength of the growth of the leftist Syriza is very striking. There is a current of populist radicalization in the face of the crisis and in the case of Greece it is a radical left. With this scenario I believe that the exit from the euro is closer than ever.

If they do not manage to reach a agreement, if the new elections get very stuck or if the status does not improve, Greece will become a failed, ungovernable country. Regarding its impact on Europe some say that its debt is with German and French banks, so it would leave a black hole, and others believe that Greece's exit would alleviate the European Economics .

Analysts see early elections as the only way out, are you for agreement? Could it lead to more atomization and fragmentation?
-I think that if there is a second election there is likely to be a call for a useful vote. But first you have to understand the Greeks. The Democrats and Pasok are to blame for bringing them into the crisis and this has been the punishment of the citizens for their cuts. These are the two big parties that have governed for 40 years and they do not want to vote for them. They prefer to go with the radical parties.

Should radical parties, such as the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn, be prevented from being part of the electoral contest to prevent the entrance in Parliament of a dubiously democratic force?
-It is a topic that has raised a wide discussion. In Germany with the neo-Nazis, for example. And democracy is not only call elections but also the rule of law. As article 21 of the German Constitution says about those parties that want to take advantage of freedom and democracy, they are not allowed to participate. But that is done when the country is in a normal status , to do so now would cause great tension and violent responses in the streets.