Since last night, the hashtag #thisisacoup has been trending on Twitter, becoming a focus for popular anger at tough conditions creditors and eurozone representatives were seeking to impose on Greece in return for a deal.
An agreement reached this morning, reportedly described by European Council President Donald Tusk as an "a-Greek-ment," sets out initial plans for a third bailout for Greece. But in return for this help, the country will have to implement the kind of tough economic reforms it rejected in a referendum earlier this month, and judging by the continued popularity of the hashtag, the international left and assorted eurosceptics are not happy with the compromise.
Alexis Tsipras should hope that the left wing of his governing Syriza party will be more understanding as he attempts to push reforms through the Greek parliament by Wednesday.
Yesterday, anti-austerity economist Paul Krugman lent his backing to the hashtag:
Here's a flavour of what Twitter users have been saying:Paul Krugman: "The trending hashtag ThisIsACoup is exactly right" http://t.co/M1dzEAc0Jrhttps://t.co/j6LDAI09vk — Thanos Dimadis (@ThanosDimadis) July 12, 2015
Also, #ThisIsACoup isn't going away. Not w Merkel's demand that humanitarian laws passed in Feb. be annulled by Wed. https://t.co/HpeZ6zRgIh
— Asteris Masouras (@asteris) July 13, 2015
The people who run the EU Are telling the Greeks what to do. They've lost their autonomy To run the economy That is why #ThisIsACoup.
— Mick Twister (@twitmericks) July 13, 2015
When opponents of €uro said nations were giving up political as well as monetary independence they were laughed at. Not tonight #ThisIsACoup
— Tim Montgomerie (@montie) July 12, 2015
#ThisIsACoup So bullying alright as long as done by governments and banks.No such thing as sovereignty then
— susie orbach (@psychoanalysis) July 13, 2015
Goldman Sachs will be hiring a new desk of Mediterranean island analysts shortly #ThisIsACoup
— Will Davies (@davies_will) July 13, 2015
The #ThisIsACoup meme burned bright in the BRICS as well as Euro periphery. LatAm watching Syriza's fate intently pic.twitter.com/oAZsK4x3Ua — Paul Mason (@paulmasonnews) July 13, 2015
