( CNN ) -- A seismic shift is taking place in the Greek political system . The series of bailouts and austerity measures implemented during the last two years has led to a fundamental political crisis affecting both the function of government and the standing of key politicians and political parties . Sunday 's debate in parliament regarding the latest austerity and bailout package was marked by unprecedented scenes of tension both inside and outside the building . The bill passed but left both historic buildings in central Athens , as well as both major parties of the interim coalition government , in tatters . Yet , it would be a mistake to attribute Sunday 's destruction to the austerity measures -- similar events took place in December 2008 , well before any talk of a debt crisis had reached Greece . What these events symbolize is the mainstreaming of extremism in Greece and the rejection of the rule of law . Extremism -- both from the far left and from the far right -- is visible throughout the public sphere : it has permeated the political rhetoric ; it has polarized social groups against each other ; it is present in the everyday discourse of ordinary citizens who single-handedly condemn not only individual politicians but the institutions of representative democracy altogether . What the politics of extreme austerity does is to offer the ideal excuse -- the perfect cover -- for the further breeding of extremism . It looks as if public opinion in Greece can tolerate the continuous and widespread destruction of central Athens , but would not accept any police or state action that would contain those few extremist groups that cause mayhem . The reasons for this self-destructive pattern are historical and cultural . They stem from the long divide between left and right in Greece , which in fact goes back almost one century . Right-wing governments -- either elected or imposed -- dominated Greek politics for much of the 20th century . The army and the police were instrumental in containing communism and suppressing the left , culminating in the 1967-1974 military junta which scarred the Greek psyche . In the minds of many Greeks , police action is associated with the suppression of fundamental civil liberties . However , what many do n't see is that Greece has now reached the other extreme , in which the lack of law and order hurts those who need it the most . Widespread tax evasion , which creates huge deficits , hurts pensioners and the working classes . Ongoing strikes and protests hurt commuters , workers and tourists . Greeks have a love-hate relationship with the state -- they have historically depended on it , while always trying to undermine it . The role of the state and of the public sector is usually at the heart of political debates between left and right . Yet , for the first time in recent memory , the political battle lines in Greece are not drawn between left and right , but between the modernizers and the populists existing in most political parties across the spectrum . The modernizers support Greece 's position within the eurozone at all costs and favor radical reforms , including a smaller and more efficient role for the public sector . The populists reject the austerity packages arguing that they will eventually lead to a default anyway . The former camp has so far failed to prove that austerity works . However , the latter camp has not offered an alternative . On Sunday night , Greek TV carried two live feeds . The first feed was from inside the parliament building , showing a disconnected political class engaging in their usual micro-political infighting and self-congratulation ; the other feed was of ongoing semi-apocalyptic destruction in the streets of Athens . The juxtaposition could not have been more telling . It bore a chilling resemblance to the last days of Germany 's Weimar Republic in the 1930s . One thing is certain -- the political system in Greece is changing and the repercussions may well be felt across Europe and the world . Sunday 's vote led to the expulsion of 45 MPs from the caucuses of three parties . No political party now holds an absolute majority on its own . In addition to international skepticism , the Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos is facing a power vacuum at the heart of the political system . While unelected , he has a unique opportunity to reframe the political debate and realign the political system utilizing an emerging social movement in support of stability , rationality and reform . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Roman Gerodimos .
For many Greeks , police action is associated with the suppression of civil liberties , says Roman Gerodimos . Extreme austerity does offers the perfect cover for the further breeding of extremism , he says . TV feeds from inside and outside parliament 'bore a chilling resemblance to the last days of Germany 's Weimar republic in the 1930s ' Gerodimos : The political system in Greece is changing and the repercussions may well be felt across Europe and the world .