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Varoufakis launches a new party in the wake of DiEM25

(B2) Former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis launched a new left-wing party in Athens on Monday (March 26) ahead of the legislative elections planned in Greece in September 2019, in the wake of DiEM25 created in several European countries. Europe.

Yannis Varoufakis in front of the press after the Eurogroup of June 2015 (credit: EBS / Archives B2)
Yannis Varoufakis in front of the press after the Eurogroup of June 2015 (credit: EBS / Archives B2)

Iconoclast

« We won't mince words Yanis Varoufakis, 57, said at a press conference, seated in front of a red neon representation of his party's logo, MeRA25, on the stage of a theater in central Athens. Committing to " bring realistic hope in his country, Yanis Varoufakis, now professor of economics at the University of Athens, pointed out that MeRA25, " European Realistic Disobedience Front by 2025 is part of DiEM25, "Movement for Democracy in Europe 2025", the transnational and anti-establishment movement he was instrumental in launching in early 2016.

Towards debt restructuring

For Greece, Yanis Varoufakis suggests through MeRA25 debt restructuring, tax cuts and the creation of a public company responsible for managing the debt of bank customers and protecting over-indebted customers from foreclosures. Relations between Mr. Varoufakis and Greece's creditors (EU and IMF) had often been tense during the six months he was at the helm of the finance minister, from January to July 2015, in the first Syriza government of Alexis Tsipras, before the 'rigor' turn. A few days after the resignation of Mr. Varoufakis, Alexis Tsipras, under pressure from creditors, agreed to sign a third aid plan for the country, against all of Syriza's electoral commitments.

A plural left

Made up of " people from the left and from liberalism, Greens and feminists DiEM25 calls for "a new pact" for the Old Continent hit by the fallout from the economic crisis that began ten years ago. He wants to be a radical European movement aimed at fighting the establishment that rules Europe ". It has no leader. In the coming months, its members, in the countries where the movement is active (1), will elect a secretary general, nominate candidates for the Europeans and draw up an electoral platform for each country.

(with AFP)

Read also: Elections 2019. Hamon, Varoufakis launch the first transnational list

(1) France, Germany, United Kingdom, Ireland, Portugal, Poland and Lithuania.

Nicolas Gros Verheyde

Chief editor of the B2 site. Graduated in European law from the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne and listener to the 65th session of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale. Journalist since 1989, founded B2 - Bruxelles2 in 2008. EU/NATO correspondent in Brussels for Sud-Ouest (previously West-France and France-Soir).

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