What will change? Will Greece leave the eurozone? Will growth replace austerity as the watchword? We asked German Werner Langen and Greek Nikolaos Chountis.

Interview: After the French and Greek elections

French and Greek voters  went to the polls on May 6th.

Socialist François Hollande will  take up residence in the Élysée Palace,

while Greece's two main parties  suffered heavy losses.

How will Europe change  in light of these election results?

and Greek GUE/NGL member  Nikolaos Chountis

about their conclusions  regarding the elections.

France is the eurozone's  second biggest economy

and must implement the reforms.  There won't be any concessions.

I have no doubt that France will honour  the current agreements and treaties.

The situation in Greece is more difficult.

Of course the Greek people  have the right to vote for extremist parties,

But it cripples political governance.  This has been the case for decades.

The politicians didn't do their homework  and were punished by the citizens.

I think that the results of the elections  in France and Greece give us hope

that there will be a change of vision,  a change of the austerity policy,

which we might call the German policy,  in the face of this crisis.

What should  the future course of action be?

More austerity  or a stronger focus on growth?

but all this is about the people of Europe.

in France and in Greece,  tomorrow in Ireland or in other countries.

Of course, the main priorities  are the needs of the people.

There has been a consensus  for quite some time now

that budgetary consolidation  must be accompanied by growth measures.

We must also use  existing opportunities more efficiently.

Greece received more than 60 billion euros  over the last ten years

but chose to neglect growth measures  in favour of an overblown public sector.

Tax evasion and other issues  which hinder growth weren't tackled.

This is the responsibility  of the Member States.

There is no reason  for concessions in this respect.

As the reactions  of the financial markets will show,

the countries have to do  their homework themselves.

Does that mean that Greece  may leave the eurozone?

If the new government  terminates the international agreements

and let's not forget the huge bail-out funds,

then the country must leave the euro -  Greek voters need to be clear about this.

We can't pump  ever more money into Greece

if the country is incapable  of the most basic reforms.

The eurozone must support Greece and  other countries in order to face the crisis.

But if we want a Europe for the people,  for economic and social cohesion,

then of course this has to be our priority.

but as Mrs Merkel said,  it would be more costly than saving Greece.

Chancellor Merkel has so far insisted on  tough austerity measures against the crisis.

Many people call for growth programmes.  Are they the solution?

I think that there is a third way  in order to face this problem.

The only way to support  development and growth

is a cocktail of different measures,  not just austerity.

and bring about growth and development  in the eurozone as a whole.

I don't see how  one would come to this conclusion.

Merkel's strategy has always been aimed at  budgetary consolidation as well as growth.

The EU summit in March agreed  a stronger focus on growth measures.

was to make the EU the leading  knowledge-based economy in the world.

Europe 2020 is the EU's current  growth and infrastructure strategy.

So the agreements are in place,  but it is up to the states to implement them.

The German government cannot relieve  Greece of its responsibilities.