In the case of Greece, they added extra pressure to deny people their right to participate in a referendum. In Italy, at least, there was no reason for sudden panic. It was embattled, but a solvent country till speculation took over. Silvio Berlusconi may have erred in governance, but it was the bankers and capitalists who brought Italy to its knees. That gave the oligarchs a perfect excuse to push Berlusconi over.
http://ummid.com/news/2011/November/25.11.2011/euro_zone_democracy.htm
http://ummid.com/news/2011/November/25.11.2011/euro_zone_democracy.htm
