Protests against austerity measures paralyze Greece

Public services have shut down across Greece as thousands of workers left their jobs in the latest nationwide strike on Tuesday.

The industrial action is another in a series of mass demonstrations against a swathe of severe austerity measures imposed by Greece’s European partners and the International Monetary Fund in exchange for a $135 billion aid package.

Public schools, courts and transport services shut down, while domestic and international flights were partly suspended.

Early on Tuesday, hundreds congregated outside the parliament building in Athens. Many scuffled with police who fired tear gas.

“Greece, of course, is in a very difficult position,” said Mats Persson, research director at the Open Europe independent think tank. “And I do think EU leaders have not handled this particularly well. But they’ve also been put in a situation that was very difficult to find another solution to. In other words, they would have to bail out Greece or the eurozone could simply crumble.”