“Stop the presses” | Youropa’s press review #5

Today all eyes are on Greece. Is it going to be a ‘Grexit’ with the left wing Syriza or will the Greeks choose for the tough EU bail-out deal with the right-wing New Democracy? For up-to-date information the Telegraph and the Guardian are live-blogging on the developments in Greece. At this moment it is New Democracy that is heading the polls, but the first official results are expected around 7pm.

The crucial vote could swing in different directions according to the Observer that sums up what the possible election outcomes could be. A weak-pro EU government is the most likely to happen – a scenario that doesn’t sound very positive. “A government is formed, but is constantly undermined by anti-bailout far-left Syriza party which becomes bold as opposition grows on the streets. The government falls in the autumn when called to pass further belt-tightening measures,” The Observer writes.

But Presseurop shows that it’s not all misery for the Greeks. A generation of young Greek technicians are taking over the global market with new iPhone apps. The small start-ups are already world leaders in their field.

The Dutch are not responding so well to the bailout funds Greece received, Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant reported that more and more Dutchies refuse to pay after eating in Greek restaurants because “they feel they have already paid the bill”. 

German chancellor Angela Merkel sits next to President Obama in the White House. Obama probably just made a joke because Merkel summons him to stop with a hand gesture. Merkel and Obama walking through a park smiling at each other, Obama putting his arm around Merkel – it is a political love story captured in a photo slight show by the New York Times. The newspaper gives us an interesting look into the relationship between ‘buddies’ Obama and Merkel.

The two have grown close over time – especially since Merkel seems to be Obama’s only hope for a eurozone recovery. Although she hasn’t agreed on what Obama thinks must be done in Europe (an American-style bailout and fiscal stimulus) this is probably the best relationship the president ever had with a foreign leader according to the New York Times.

Obama and Merkel will meet again Monday at a G20 summit meeting in Mexico with the stakes for Europe even higher than they were last month.

This article also includes a very clear and in-depth explanation of the European crisis with maps and graphs.

The other major event that keeps us glued to our TV screens is of course the Euro Cup in Ukraine and Poland. There are more stories on this tournament than just the summaries of the matches.

Although there was a lot of turmoil in the press about the political situation and the amount of racism in the football stadiums in the run-up to the Euro’s, so far the press is fairly mild and only one incident, a fight between Russian and Polish supporters, has been reported.

On the contrary the Economist published a very critical piece on the situation in the Ukraine on their Eastern Approaches blog. A successful tournament and good football is not going to mask the political situation in the country. Something that needs to change if they want to become a candidate member state of the European Union. A colourful example is used to strengthen their  argument against ‘Ukraine’s big show ’:

“Even on Monday evening, there was something about the Ukrainian post-match celebrations that was unsettling. Rather than a great mass of hooting cars clogging the streets only a modest convoy of top-of-the range luxury models circulated.
Their exuberant drivers did not appear old enough to have earned the money it would take to buy them. It is ever more glaringly obvious that Mr Yanukovych’s system is making a tiny minority extremely rich whilst the rest of the country struggles to get by. Even a day-tripping football fan would notice.”