The victory of the “radical left” in Greece this past Sunday, along with the remarkable ascent of Podemos in Spain, could truly be the dawn of a new day for progressives in Europe. It certainly bears watching, and I find it quite hopefully. Especially, with the deplorable state of politics in America — fueled by the destructive influence of the very wealthy following the Citizens United decision. Here’s a brief excerpt from Reuters, that suggests that the new Greek government is quite serious in its challenge to the EU’s conservative economic policies.

“In his first act as prime minister on Monday, Alexis Tsipras visited the war memorial in Kaisariani where 200 Greek resistance fighters were slaughtered by the Nazis in 1944.

The move did not go unnoticed in Berlin. Nor did Tsipras’s decision hours later to receive the Russian ambassador before meeting any other foreign official.

Then came the announcement that radical academic Yanis Varoufakis, who once likened German austerity policies to “fiscal waterboarding,” would be taking over as Greek finance minister. A short while later, Tsipras delivered another blow, criticizing an EU statement that warned Moscow of new sanctions.”