Greece, Corruption and the 17 June 2012 Elections

Recently, Greece (or Hellas as we actually call it in Greek/Hellenic) has been in the forestage of the worldwide financial crisis. Therefore, I would like to provide some astrological insights regarding the reasons behind the all-important role that Hellas has assumed in this crisis, as revealed by the Pluto-Uranus square which I will explain below in more detail. In view of the forecoming parliamentary elections in Hellas on June 17^th I would also like to offer some ideas concerning the possible outcome of the elections. 

In the name of paying off an undoubtedly unmanageable debt, Hellenes have been obliged to make great financial sacrifices in the past two years. Salary cuts, tax increases and soaring unemployment rates, however, are clearly taking their toll on my fellow compatriots. Their indignation was clearly shown in the latest parliamentary elections on May 6^th 2012 where the two biggest political parties, New Democracy (right-wing) and PASOK (sociodemocrats), only received one third of the votes. Compare this percentage to more than two thirds which was usually the case for the past three decades. Instead, the majority of the votes were cast in favour of parties that have generally been against the harsh measures that were implemented in the last two years. The majority of these parties are left-wing.

Astrologically speaking, these important developments that are taking place not only in Hellas but also in Europe and the rest of the world are related to the Pluto-Uranus square. Pluto, the planet of crisis and destruction, and Uranus, the planet of rebellion and radical change, have been loosely forming a 90° angle to each other for the past two years. This angle in astrology is known as a ‘square’ aspect and it will be exact at the end of June 2012. A square aspect denotes a relationship of struggle and conflict between the planetary principles involved and the conflict is all the more intense when the aspect is exact. More specifically, Pluto and Uranus in conflict represent the possibility of radical transformations and violent revolutions across the globe. The ‘Arab Spring’ with its concomitant revolutions and regime subversions in Egypt, Algeria and Syria is just one example of the Pluto-Uranus square. How is it then that this square affects Hellas’ astrological chart? Using the date that most astrologers accept as the ‘birth’ of modern Hellas (Feb 3^rd 1830), one can easily see that the Pluto-Uranus square activates one of the tightest aspects in Hellas’ chart: the Jupiter-Pluto square.

The Jupiter-Pluto square has been dubbed ‘the aspect of corruption’ and quite rightly so. In a country with such an aspect in its astrological chart there always seems to be endless tension (square) between search for benefits (Jupiter) and use of underhand and illicit means (Pluto). Such tension may thus often result in seeking benefits and profit (Jupiter) through the extreme (square) use of coercion and manipulation (Pluto). With Pluto and Uranus activating this tight square aspect in Hellas’ chart, what Hellas is expected to radically transform is its inherent tendency for corruption. Therefore, it appears that Hellenes will have to let go of their inclination towards illicit search for wealth and abundance so as to achieve regeneration and catharsis. All that is putrid in the way Hellenes handle power (Pluto) and growth (Jupiter) will have to die now in order for a healthier approach towards these same issues to emerge.

Note that the astrological houses in which a certain aspect is found gives us a great deal of information regarding the areas of life that are particularly affected by this aspect.  More specifically, Hellas’ Jupiter-Pluto square is found within the 8^th and 11^th houses. In mundane astrology the 8^th house is related to a country’s banking system, tax policies, debts and capacity to borrow money from other countries, while the 11^th house is related to a country’s parliament and long-term planning. The placement of Hellas’ Jupiter-Pluto square in these two houses reveals that the Hellenic Parliament and banks seem to be bound to one another by means of corruption! This placement also reveals that the Hellenic debt is quite possibly the product of corrupt practices and agreements between bankers and politicians. It is also not a coincidence that the way the Hellenic Parliament chose to enact its power lately (Hellas’ Pluto in the 11^th house) was through extreme (square) increase of taxes (Hellas’ Jupiter in the 8^th house).

Further inspection of Hellas’ chart shows that one of the planetary principles involved in this aspect of corruption, namely Jupiter, rules Hellas’ Sagittarian 7^th house, which is related to a country’s allies and open enemies. This information points to the possibility of foreign involvement in corrupt practices between banks and the Hellenic Parliament, while it also points to the possibility of corruption for the sake of international alliances that Hellas is a part of. In fact, Hellas’ accession into the Eurozone has been said to be the direct result of illicit agreements between the then Hellenic government and Lehman Brothers… In any case, foreign involvement in the production of the Hellenic debt seems to be quite probable to such an extent that both allies and open enemies of Hellas may have directly or indirectly contributed to the current state of affairs. 

Therefore, what the Pluto-Uranus square seems to suggest as it activates Hellas’ tendency for corruption is that the Hellenic Parliament and the banks will have to be radically transformed in order to survive. In other words, crisis in the Hellenic banking system and in Hellas’ capacity to handle its debts and to borrow money from other countries (Pluto in transit conjunct Hellas’ Jupiter in the 8^th house) seems to trigger conflicts (square) that lead to sudden and revolutionary transformations within the Hellenic Parliament (Uranus in transit conjunct Hellas’ Pluto in the 11^th house). Undoubtedly, this is already taking place, given that the two biggest political parties only received one third of the votes in last month’s elections: those two parties were chiefly responsible for the unprecedented austerity measures that have been voted in the past two years, supposedly in order to deal with the Hellenic debt. Nevertheless, Hellenes’ indignation fed the growth of several smaller political parties, a process that did not allow for the emergence of a strong single-party government which is why Hellas is headed for new elections on June 17^th.

What insights could we get from astrology regarding the potential outcome of the forecoming elections on June 17^th? Given that the elections will take place in the last lunar phase and while Venus is still in retrograde motion, it seems that any government that is formed following the upcoming elections will not be strong enough to make it to full term. On the one hand, the last lunar phase does not augur well for new beginnings and does not provide stability. On the other, retrograde Venus confuses our value system and prepares the ground for change of opinion once Venus turns back in direct motion at the end of June, all the more because Venus is in the mutable and indecisive sign of Gemini! Furthermore, the astrological charts of Mr. Samaras and Mr. Tsipras, the respective leaders of New Democracy (right-wing) and SYRIZA (radical left) which turned out to be the two most voted political parties in last month’s elections, appear to receive astrological influences which do not allow for either of them to be unequivocally favoured.

More specifically, transiting Jupiter does favour Mr. Samaras’ Gemini Sun much more than Mr. Tsipras’ Leo Sun, but transiting Neptune in square aspect to Mr. Samaras’ Sun can set him all the more easily for disappointment. On the other hand, Mr. Tsipras’ Venus, which is an indicator for a person’s popularity, is opposed by transiting Pluto and squared by transiting Uranus which can have the following effect: great and sudden deepening of Mr. Tsipras’ popularity and appeal that can, however, decrease quite dramatically and unexpectedly. Therefore, although Mr. Samaras looks like he might get luckier than Mr. Tsipras in the upcoming elections (just like he did in fact in the last ones), the latter might also get a good deal of votes and might thus challenge Mr. Samaras’ potential of becoming Prime Minister.

If one also takes into consideration the fact that the Pluto-Uranus square will be exact once more on September 19^th 2012 thus activating again Hellas’ Jupiter-Pluto square, it appears to me that Hellenes will be led to new elections around September 19^th. The possibility for new elections in September 2012 might also be related to the possibility of Hellas exiting the Eurozone… After all, the Pluto-Uranus square reminds us that whatever is putrid will have to be destroyed via radical means, which means that if the Eurozone structure is putrid and rotten, some desperate financial injections on the part of the European Central Bank might not be enough to save Euro from annihilation. In fact, Jupiter, the planet of luck, growth and development makes a very important transit through Hellas’ chart: on June 22^nd it will be conjunct Hellas’ Gemini Ascendant. This transit will renovate both the way Hellas sees the world and the way the world sees Hellas, which begs the question as to what direction this renovation will take. 

Clues regarding this renovation can be provided if we examine what happened almost 12 years ago on January 1^st 2001 when transiting Jupiter occupied the same exact position as it will on June 22^nd. Note that the choice of number 12 is not random: Jupiter takes 12 years to make a full circle around the zodiac and thus inaugurates a new cycle of growth and development. What happened on January 1^st 2001 was that Hellas joined the Eurozone. Therefore, the cycle of growth and development that started then seems to come to an end now, all the more because Hellas’ Jupiter is conjunct transiting Pluto, which points to a renovation that involves a complete and thorough transformation. Given that the Pluto-Uranus square activates Hellas’ Jupiter-Pluto square both on June 22^nd and September 19^th, it is quite probable that the process of Hellas’ exit from the Eurozone starts soon after June 22^nd and ends soon after September 19^th. It thus seems that a new cycle of growth will start from then on, either with the old currency, drachma, or with a devalued version of Euro. Besides the possibility of Hellas leaving the Eurozone within this timeframe, a complete overhaul of the Hellenic Parliament and Hellas’ banking system, as well as of its tax and insurance policies and institutions, is a distinct possibility. One thing is for sure: a new and very important era is about to start for Hellas. So, sit back and enjoy the ride!!