Thousands of Greek ‘No’ voters rejoiced at the outcome of a referendum on Sunday (July 5) that they said slapped down the architects of a five-year austerity drive that has ravaged the economy of this southern European nation.
At Syntagma square in central Athens, several thousand people waved “No” banners and chanted “they will never win”, as the results of the referendum trickled in.
Families wrapped themselves in Greek flags and danced to traditional tunes, while others blew horns and whistles above the square’s pink-tinted fountain.
The Greeks headed into the vote tired and angry after five years of cuts to wages, pensions and public services – a toxic combination of austerity that has reduced household incomes by a third and left one out of four out of a job.
European leaders have called a summit for Tuesday to discuss their next move.
Ventuno