The nightmare of all those with influence in the EU – technocrats, media magnates, investors, newspaper editors, bankers, shareholders, celebrities and opponents of democracy – has become reality: somewhere in the European Union a people spoke out.
We, the Swiss, are accustomed to vote several times a year and thus take decisions on issues that have a significant impact on our lives. It is difficult for us to grasp the relevance of a national referendum in a country like Greece, where the last referendum was held in 1974, 41 years ago! Since then, neither the right nor the left has dared to use this instrument again.
The propaganda campaign for a “Yes” led by the EU, took effect far beyond the Greek borders: It is easy to understand why. By their “No” the Greeks have certainly rejected further austerity measures, but above all they have shown that it is possible to stand up, to speak out, thus to interfere in the country’s governance and engage in politics. It is not so much the result of this referendum, that scared and terrified the unelected EU-technocrats as the fact that it took place at all. The very idea that the people could change from subjects to actively engaged citizens, appears completely absurd to them.
Once again the EU showed its true face, one of a profoundly anti-democratic organisation. Note that the peoples themselves have mostly behaved rebelliously at the very rare referendums in recent years – they opposed to the specifications of the technocrats and expressed their wish for independence. In the Netherlands as well as in France the citizens rejected the project of an EU constitution. In France the “No” of 2005 caused an actual political earthquake. Despite that media brainwashing, which makes Soviet propaganda appear moderate in comparison, the French people gave the entire political-media elite, unanimously advocating “Yes”, a resounding slap in the face.
Even if the specific effects are limited, we should not underestimate the political and symbolic weight of such democratic reactions. •
Source: Lettre de nouvelles de Julien Sansonnens No. 52 July 2015, newsletter@jsansonnens.ch
(Translation Current Concerns)
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