Doukakis calls for end of austerity in Greece

January 23, 2015
Written by E.Tsiliopoulos

In an interview with Greek-American National Herald newspaper, former Democratic presidential nominee Michael Doukakis expressed his opinion on the election.

Michael Dukakis is one of the most respected political figures in the Greek-American community. The former Massachusetts governor and Democratic presidential nominee in the 1988 US election, is a mild mannered, dignified professor, who has retired from American politics, but often expresses his thoughts on current affairs.

Interviewed by the Greek American newspaper National Herald, Dukakis expressed his view on the upcoming Greek elections, in his usual, non-partisan, sober manner. He was adamant that austerity is not the way forward for the country. “Greece will not move forward with the continuing austerity measures”, he said.

Dukakis is in favor of the early elections called by the PM late last month, so that voters can express their will regarding ways out of the economic crisis. “It is obvious that when you push a country to adopt policies that cannot help overcome the economic depression, then the people will reach a point where they cannot stand it anymore”, he said.

Joining many American analysts who are not quite trustful on Radical Left SYRIZA party politics, the former governor said he was not sure of SYRIZA's win in the elections, the formation of a government majority by them, or the future of Greece in the Eurozone.

“A country cannot recover from an economic crisis through austerity, it is not possible", Dukakis said, reminding readers that a similar approach from the Hoover administration after the 1929 stock market crash, turned America into the worst economic depression in its history.

Finally, Michael Dukakis believes that the austerity approach in handling the European economic crisis is not the way to go. He says that reforms, new policies and growth stimulation are the only ways for the continent to exit the current economic climate.

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