ATHENS, Greece – With the crucial austerity referendum a day away, Greeks contemplated Saturday how their vote will shape their future and the impact a “yes” or “no” will have on the country’s youth.
Opinion polls showed Greeks evenly split on whether to accept creditors’ proposals for more austerity in exchange for rescue loans or defiantly reject the deal and send the message that they’re simply fed up with years of harsh economic austerity.
With no campaigning allowed the day before the vote, the natural rhythm of daily life in the capital briefly replaced the sense of urgency that was palpable all week when Greeks struggled to decipher a convoluted referendum question while being bombarded with frenzied messages of impending doom or defiance.
Aris Spiliotopoulos, a 22-year-old who is launching his own tourism start-up, said he believes the vote is about whether Greece chooses to stay among the club of nations that uses the euro as their currency and ultimately whether the country opts to stay in the European Union itself.
“I am voting ‘yes’ because I believe that my future and even my kids’ future, in 20 or 30 years from now, is in the eurozone and the European Union,” Spiliotopoulos said.
Gym teacher Alkiviadis Kotsis said he is voting “no” because the country and its people simply can’t take more austerity.
“No matter how many loans you take, you cannot get by if you don’t produce things. You can’t do anything,” he said.
Greece’s high-stakes standoff with lenders saw the country default on debts this week, close banks to avoid their collapse and lose access to billions of euros after an existing bailout deal expired.
Yet, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras insists a “no” vote will strengthen his hand to negotiate a third bailout with better terms.
No matter the referendum result, Tsipras faces a tough road ahead, fraught with uncertainty about whether he will be able to deliver an improved bailout agreement.
Iuliia Subbotovskaia and Eftehia Katsareas in Athens contributed to this report.
