Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Fact Sheet On Some Left Governments From The 1970s To 2018
Fact Sheet On Some Left Governments From The 1970s To 2018
Fact Sheet On Some Left Governments From The 1970s To 2018
Timelines cuts and then in May 2010 enters the first of a series of
“Memoranda” with the EU, European Central Bank, and
IMF, spelling out cuts in return for bailouts (in fact bailouts
of the commercial banks which had lent to the Greek
Brazil government)
May and June 2012: After the fall of the Pasok
administration, and some months of a caretaker regime, two
1980: Workers' Party (PT) founded. Its leader Lula had been general elections. Syriza wins 17% in May, and 27% in June,
a leader of the Sao Paulo metalworkers' strikes in May 1978, but the right-wing party New Democracy narrowly wins.
when 300 factories and 300,000 workers came out. These
strikes detonated a wave of workers' protest that ended July 2013: first congress of Syriza as a party rather than a
military rule, in force since 1965. coalition. Commits to reversing cuts; abolishing or defaulting
on the “illegitimate” bulk of Greece’s debt; public ownership
1983: PT instrumental in establishing a militant trade union and public control of the banking system; taxation of
federation, the CUT. domestic big capital; against privatization and in favour of
1985: "Controlled" end to military rule, with two parties renationalisation. September 2014: Syriza leaders replace (de
licensed by the military, PMDB and PSDB. facto) the Syriza congress policies by the “Thessaloniki
declaration”, promising to renegotiate a better deal with the
1989: First direct presidential election. A conservative beats EU and distribute the proceeds in welfare measures.
Lula 53%-47%.
January 2015: Syriza wins election under the leadership of
Early 1990s: the PT had around 600,000 members. It won Alexis Tsipras. Forms a coalition government with the right-
seats on local and municipal councils, and at state and federal wing populist Anel. The activists of the occupations of city
level. squares, the anti-austerity movements, and the 30-plus
Over 1990s: PT bureaucratises itself in response to general strikes since 2010 are asked to sit back and play a
exigencies of running local government, and two presidential supportive role.
defeats by the ex-Marxist Fernando Henrique Cardoso. After February 2015: Despite a high-profile tour by Greek finance
defeat in 1998. Lula insisted that he would run a fourth time minister Yanis Varoufakis, eurozone finance ministers refuse
only if he were given a free hand to form alliances across the to give Greece a better deal. Syriza extends the
political board and was provided with the resources to run a Memorandum; pledges to cut spending on health care,
slick, professional electoral campaign. education, mass transit, local government, and other essential
2002: Lula wins presidential election, but on bland slogans social services. Utilises all reserves in order to meet debt
payments.
After 2003; PT redistributes some of the proceeds of export
successes for Brazil: welfare payments (Bolsa Familial) take July 2015: In a referendum, called by the Syriza government,
millions out of poverty; more workers gain "formal" on EU austerity terms, 61% vote “Oxi” (no). Massive rallies
employment status. all around Greece, 500,000 in Athens. But over the next
weeks, Tsipras pushes through approval of EU austerity
2010: PT candidate Dilma Rousseff wins presidential terms, sacks left cabinet ministers, and asks all MPs who do
election to succeed Lula. not vote for bailout measures to resign. Syriza leftists quit to
2013 big but politically headless demonstrations call for form Popular Unity.
better education and better healthcare. September 2015: Syriza wins narrow re-election and forms a
2014: Rousseff wins presidential election on promise to save new coalition government with ANEL. Voter turnout at
PT programs from right-wing attack, but amidst economic 56.6%, is the lowest recorded since the fall of the military
crisis quickly turns to cuts. Meanwhile the street movement junta in 1974.
comes under increasing right-wing populist influence. November 2015: Syriza government passes a new austerity
2016: Congress removes Rousseff from office, puts in right- budget and expels deputies who voted against the measures.
wing as caretaker. The budget is passed just days after the outgoing president of
parliament, Zoe Kostantopoulou, issues the final report of the
“Truth Committee on the Greek Debt.” The report notes that:
Greece “The Third MoU [Memoranda of Understanding] that
accompanies the August 2015 loan agreement, just like the
previous ones of 2010 and 2012, transfers the weight of
structural adjustment to Greek society. As a result, the Third
January 2004: formation of Syriza as a coalition around
MoU will increase poverty, class polarization and social
Synaspismos, a continuation of the left-Eurocommunist
exclusion”. Its measures “are of equal or greater social and
strand.
fiscal impact, compared to the preceding ones.”
October 2009: Pasok wins big majority in Greek election
March 2016: Syriza-Anel government and Tsipras act as the
(Syriza on 4.6%). Pasok announces that it has found
gatekeeper of fortress Europe. At the Brussels EU summit;
government finances much worse than it thought; imposes