A very Greek election

This week, we look at comment on the Greek election and on the Irish "yes" vote for the Lisbon treaty, as well as on the winners of the 2009 Nobel Prize in medicine.

The Greek way

While recent European voters have favoured the centre-right, Greek voters have elected the socialist PASOK party, led by George Papandreou. What Greece now needs is reform, writes the Financial Times.

... This was a very Greek election. It is not just that Mr Karamanlis and Mr Papandreou are scions of Greece’s two leading political dynasties ... In an introspective contest, Europe was hardly mentioned. Without visible enthusiasm, voters preferred the vague promises of the Papandreou brand to the conservative Mr Karamanlis’ promises of austerity ... PASOK has won a holding mandate from a fickle electorate. What Greece needs, however, is reform. ...

They said yes

A large majority of Irish people voted in favour of the EU Treaty of Lisbon. This shows the Irish are the most enthusiastic supporters of the EU project, writes The Irish Times.

The resounding two to one majority for the Lisbon Treaty is … good for Ireland and good for the European Union. It has reaffirmed that Irish people are among the most enthusiastic supporters of the European project and understand that our fate lies with, and at the heart of it, not least in the middle of the mother of all economic crises. …

A prize for immigration

The 2009 Nobel Prize in medicine has gone to three American scientists, two of whom are immigrants to the US. There are lessons here for America, writes The Wall Street Journal.

Hats off to Elizabeth Blackburn, Carol Greider and Jack Szostak, the three American scientists awarded the 2009 Nobel Prize in medicine ... It's worth noting that the British-born Szostak and the Australian-born Blackburn are immigrants who chose to work at U.S. research institutions, which continue to be the world's best. Low-skill foreigners tend to dominate the immigration debate, but if the U.S. is to remain a leader in scientific innovation, we'll need to keep our borders open to the world's top talent. …