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It is a salient fact that Greece is governed by a coalition of parties (called a National Unity Government) led by an unelected banker Papedemos, that currently holds 253 of the 300 seats in the lower house of parliament. Most of the ministers in the new cabinet are from Pasok with two from New Democracy and one from a radical nationalist party, Laos.

This is as near to an assembly of all the political forces that support austerity, the EU and the banks as it is possible to gather together in modern Greece. (Note the leading role of Greece's labour party, Pasok, in setting up 'national unity.')

The remaining Greek parties that made it into parliament at the last election (you need 3% plus of the vote) are the KKE - Greek communist party (21 seats), a radical left coalition party (inaccurately dubbed 'Trotskyist' by Newsnight economics reporter Paul Mason) - 9 seats, and various socialists, independents and greens with 17.

Austerity so far has meant that the KKE, SYRIZA and the independents - those parties that stayed out of the national unity government - are level pegging in the opinion polls with the 'great modern parties' of Greek political history. And an election date is looming.

Today, the EU leadership has destroyed the national unity government, the economic project of the Greek ruling class, and the immediate future of its main political parties, Pasok and New Democracy.

The EU have put more conditions on the latest austerity package agreed by the national unity government. More cuts, more solemn and binding parliamentary votes and, most humiliating (and deliberately unworkable) an agreement that the parties will go into the election backing ALL of the austerity measures. The EU and its billionaire backers do not believe the Greek rulers can deliver. They have thrown them to the wind. They know Greece will shed the Euro. Good riddance. They sincerely believe they have done enough to wall off Ireland, Portugal, Spain and Italy from the Greek 'disease.' And if things cut up rough in the Balkans, well, there are always the the Colonels.

So it begins.

The politics of Europe are beginning to unravel in the face of the economic crisis. What will the left and anti-austerity parties do when they win the next the general election next month? (Much depends on that. The Greek Nazis are now polling above 3% in the opinion polls.) This blog has looked at a left policy in Greece before (5.11.11.) Now is the time to look at some details - and to centre yourselves right at the heart of the general strikes and social movements. They are the only protection for Greece's future now.