Ms Wagenknecht maintains that Greece is no longer a sovereign state given that it must follow the dictates of the troika. “Suicides in Greece have increased dramatically as a result of these policies – more and more people are desperate because they do not know how to go on,” Ms Wagenknecht said in an interview with German daily Der Tagesspiegel, a claim which she had also made in a speech to the Bundestag in December. In the interview she added that it was the German government that had pressed for the implementation of the programs of austerity, “which destroyed the lives of many people.” She pointed out that not only is the unemployment rate very high in Greece, but that after a year out of work, the unemployed receive no benefits.
“Unemployment among young people is now around 60%. To press in this environment for further social spending cuts and layoffs is an irresponsible policy for which Ms Merkel shares responsibility,” according to the German MP. When asked about the responsibility of the Greek state, Ms Wagenknecht recognized that Greek leaders are shared the blame saying that, “a large part of the debt was created within the country by the elites of the old parties within a corrupt system.” She added that it was a paradox that prior to the last elections, it was exactly these political parties that were part of the corrupt system and that had largely implemented the German policies, yet they were re-elected. “The left Syriza party would certainly have done better for the country,” Wagenknecht said.
Referring to the major cutbacks in health care spending, Ms Wagenknecht stated that in Greece there are people who die because they are unable to buy necessary medications, adding that, “Greece from 2010 is no longer a sovereign state as it must follow imperatives [from the troika].” The MP maintains that Germany could adopt policies different to those of the troika by increasing the burden on the rich, preventing capital flight to Switzerland and demanding major asset contributions from the elites.