Two Greek government lawmakers quit Thursday in protest at their party's austerity policies as unity government talks with Prime Minister George Papandreou collapsed. The parliamentarians, part of Greece's ruling Socialist Party, had criticized the government's wage cuts and tax hikes, which were mandated by the EU and the International Monetary Fund in return for a massive loan rescue last year. Papandreou will have to double previous austerity measures to $40 billion and intensify privatization schemes in exchange for yet another loan. Greece was rocked by a general strike and mass demonstrations Wednesday. Many of those taking part were young people calling themselves the “Indignant Citizens” movement, a name borrowed from Spanish demonstrators who’ve been protesting their government's austerity program. Wednesday's demonstrations in Athens evolved into street battles between some protesters armed with petrol bombs and rocks, and riot police. Source
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