Greece's Syriza victory gives strength to Spain's anti-austerity movement/Fortune

Ripples may lead to a Tsunami.

http://fortune.com/2015/01/26/greeces-syriza-spain-podemos/

On a basic level, the election results in Greece augur well for Spain’s anti-establishment party Podemos as it gears up for national elections. It shows that an untested anti-austerity party can win.

Greece’s left-wing declared victory in this weekend’s national elections, with major wins from the anti-austerity Syriza party. Standing in the wings, supporting the victorious coalition were members of Spain’s anti-establishment party, Podemos.

Syriza’s most ardent supporters included party secretary Pablo Iglesias and the rest of the leaders of Spain’s Podemos, a year-old anti-austerity party that is leading in the polls ahead of the national elections set to take place later this year.

“Despite a campaign of fear-mongering, the citizens of Greece rejected the policies of unjust and ineffective budget cuts,” Íñigo Errejón, Podemos’ No. 2 official, said after the elections. “Blackmail did not succeed in Greece, which means it will be harder for it to triumph in Spain.”

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Spain anti-austerity activists look with hope to Greece's Syriza

https://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/world/26038148/spain-anti-austerity-activists-look-with-hope-to-greeces-syriza/

An election win for Greece's leftist Syriza party on Sunday could mark a turning point in Europe where other populist parties, starting with Podemos in Spain, are hoping to launch their own anti-austerity revolts.

Syriza and Podemos are united in blaming Europe's ills on budget austerity measures imposed by the so-called "troika" -- the European Union, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund -- and by their tough stand against corruption.

"The end of impunity for the corrupt and a recovery of our sovereignty are our priorities," one of the founders of Podemos, Carolina Bescansa, told a news conference on Monday.

Greece's snap election this weekend is being followed especially closely in Spain, which sees the contest as a preview of looming campaigns for local elections in May and a general election expected in November.

Both Syriza and Podemos top their respective opinion polls.