The global financial crisis of 2007-8 did not offer the political and economic opportunities to the left that many thought it would. As financial institutions collapsed, traditional left-wing issues were apparently back on the agenda. However, instead of being a trigger for a resurgence of the left, in many European countries left-wing parties have suffered savage electoral defeat. At the same time, the crisis has led to austerity programmes being implemented across Europe. This book brings together essays that consider ten EU member states, including all bail-out recipients and some of the main 'donor' states, in an examination of this crucial period for the left in Europe from a number of perspectives. Comparisons are presented between the various EU member states, as well as different party families of the left, from social democracy through green left to radical left.

List of figures and tables
Notes on contributors
Glossary and abbreviations

1 The European left and the crisis: opportunity or catastrophe?
Michael Holmes and Knut Roder
2 The Greek left and the crisis: the demise of PASOK and the rise of SYRIZA
Nikolaos Nikolakakis
3 The changing nature of the Spanish left: an uncertain balance
Carlos Rico Motos
4 Geringonça: the Portuguese left approach to the crisis
Cláudia Toriz Ramos
5 'Frankfurt's way or Labour's way': the Irish left and the crisis
Michael Holmes
6 The Cypriot Left and the crisis: one step forward, two steps back
Yiannos Katsourides
7 The Italian left and the crisis: the case of Matteo Renzi's Partito Democratico
Jorge del Palacio Martín
8 The financial crisis and the curse of Latvian left parties
Karlis Bukovskis and Ilvija Bruge
9 Navigating through troubled times: the left and the euro crisis in Finland
Tapio Raunio
10 Take a walk on the left side: the impact of austerity politics in France
Antonella Seddone and Julien Navarro
11 In the shadow of Merkel: the German left and the crisis
Knut Roder
12 Between Scylla and Charybdis: Europe, nationalism and left politics
Andy Storey
13 Alter-Europeanism? The left and European integration after the crisis?
Michael Holmes and Knut Roder

Index

Editors

Michael Holmes is Associate Professor in Political Science at ESPOL (European School of Political and Social Sciences) in the Catholic University of Lille

Knut Roder is Head of Politics and Principal Lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University