Hope has won over Fear and Resignation in the Greek elections of 25 January 2015, offering Greek citizens the possibility to be governed by a left-wing government for the first time. This victory is raising hopes not only for the Greek people, but for all European citizens, who expressed their solidarity in the struggle against the Troika-led austerity.

This solidarity was well represented during the electoral campaign not only through a physical presence in meetings held in Greece, but also through actions all over Europe. So in a way we all participated in this historic victory. The result is encouraging for all of us: through these elections citizens have claimed back democratically their right to decide.

The first actions and declarations of this new popular majority confirm its determination to fight against austerity policies in Greece and in Europe, to free the citizens from the burden of public debt used to impose neoliberal policies that deny their democratic rights and any sense of social justice. The fight will be hard and will require permanent support. EAN commits itself to offering such support to this fight, which is our common fight for changing policies in Europe.

Nothing will be easy and criticism of some policy choices may be voiced at times. EAN will keep a critical eye on the choices made by the SYRIZA-led government. The main criteria of support in this expectedly tricky exercise of political power will be the extent to which measures contribute to stop austerity policies, deepen democratic institutions, take our citizens’ rights out of the hands of market forces, implement ecological transition and restore social justice all over the EU.

• More specifically, acknowledging that the issue of the public debt in Europe is of concern to all of us and that it is of vital importance for Greece, which is faced with an unsustainable level of debt, we shall campaign in favor of a European Conference on the Public Debt along the lines of the 1953 London Conference dealing with the pre- and post-war debt of Germany. We shall use it to promote a redefinition of the roles and power of EU institutions.