The Greek elections

Greeks vote narrowly to put off the evil day

Greeks vote for euro as pro-bailout parties claim victory

The conservative party that backs keeping Greece in the eurozone has won the country's election and immediately proposed forming a pro-euro coalition government.

Sydney Morning Herald,

18 June, 2012

The development eases, at least briefly, deep fears that the election would unleash an economic tsunami.

As central banks stood ready to intervene in case of financial turmoil, Greece held its second election in six weeks after an inconclusive ballot on May 6.

The vote was seen as crucial since it could determine whether Greece would leave the joint euro currency, a move that would have potentially catastrophic consequences for other ailing European nations and the entire global economy.

With 66 per cent of the vote counted, official results showed the conservative New Democracy winning 30.1 per cent of the vote and 130 of the 300 seats in parliament.

The radical anti-bailout Syriza party had 26.5 per cent and 70 seats and the pro-bailout Socialist Pasok party came in third with 12.6 per cent of the vote and 34 seats.

"I am relieved," a smiling New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras told Reuters, leaving his office to joyous chants from supporters. "I am relieved for Greece and Europe. As soon as possible we will form a government."

Samaras said in a speech that the country would honour its commitments to its euro zone partners.

"The Greek people voted today to stay on the European course and remain in the euro zone... there will be no more adventures, Greece's place in Europe will not be put in doubt," he said.

The parties have starkly different views about what to do about the 240 billion euros ($304 billion) in bailout loans that Greece has been given by international lenders, and the harsh austerity measures that previous Greek governments had to accept to get the funds.

"The Greek people today voted for Greece to remain on its European path and in the eurozone," Samaras said.

"(Voters chose) policies that will bring jobs, growth, justice and security."

Syriza chief Alexis Tsipras, who had tapped into a vein of deep anger over the plunging living standards faced by many Greeks, had wanted to rip up Greece's international bailout deals and roll back the new taxes, job cuts and pension cuts imposed in the past two years.

Tsipras congratulated Samaras and conceded the election.

The head of Greece's socialist Pasok party proposed that a unity government be formed of four top parties, including Syriza despite its anti-bailout views.

Pasok's Evangelos Venizelos, who spent months negotiating bailouts as Greece's finance minister, suggested dumping the usual procedure of each party seeking coalition partners. He said a government must be formed quickly and suggested one between New Democracy, Syriza, Pasok and the small Democratic Left.

"There is not one day to lose. There is no room for party games. If we want Greece to really remain in the euro and get out of the crisis to the benefit of every Greek government, it must have a government tomorrow," Venizelos said after results were announced.

Sunday's vote went smoothly except for one incident in which 10 men armed with sledgehammers and wooden bats attacked a polling station in central Athens, wounding two policemen and setting fire to the ballot box. The attack took place in the Athens neighbourhood of Exarhia, a traditional haven for anarchists.

Greek police were also investigating the discovery of two unexploded hand grenades outside private Skai television station on the outskirts of Athens.

From the Greek press

ND wins but faces challenge to govern

Conservatives edge out SYRIZA but must find coalition partners with PASOK seemingly reluctant

Ekathimerini,

17 June, 2012

Greece’s second national elections in as many months produced a victory for conservative New Democracy over leftist SYRIZA but the result still left doubts about if and how a coalition government could be formed.

With 60 percent of the votes counted, support for New Democracy stood at 30.14 percent, compared to 26.46 for SYRIZA. PASOK was third with 12.57 percent, followed by Independent Greeks on 7.43, Golden Dawn on 6.95, Democratic Left on 6.06 and the Communist Party on 4.5 percent.

Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS), the Ecologist Greens and the liberal alliance between Dimiourgia Xana (Recreate Greece) and Drasi all fell well short of the 3 percent threshold needed for them to enter Parliament.

In terms of seats in the House, this share of the votes translates into 130 for New Democracy, 70 for SYRIZA, 33 for PASOK, 20 for Independent Greeks, 19 for Golden Dawn, 16 for Democratic Left and 12 for the Communist Party.

New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras said Greece had secured its position in the eurozone, saying that the outcome of the vote was a “significant moment for Greece and the rest of Europe.”

“Greece’s position in Europe will not be put in doubt. Fear will not prevail,” he said in a speech from Zappeio Hall that he repeated immediately afterward in English.

Describing the outcome as “a stable foundation for national unity with a European direction,” he appealed to political forces “to join a government of national salvation.”

“There is no time for political games, the country must be governed,” he stated.

“We will respect the country’s signatures,” he said, adding that New Democracy would work with European leaders to boost growth and “tackle the torturous problem of unemployment.”

“The Greek people voted for policies that will create jobs, growth, justice and security,” he said.

Despite gaining the 50-seat bonus that goes to the leading party, last night’s result still leaves Samaras with plenty of work to do in order to form a government. The conservatives are far short of the 151 seats they need to govern on their own. The possibility of turning to SYRIZA to form a grand coalition was immediately rejected by leftist leader Alexis Tsipras, who insisted that his party should remain in opposition, from where it can combat the austerity measures Greece’s lenders are demanding from Athens. SYRIZA also said that if Samaras fails to form a government, the leftists would not take up the mandate to try to form one on their own.

“We will be present in developments from the position of the main opposition party,” said Tsipras, adding, “We have opposite us an unholy alliance of yesterday’s powers, from inside and outside the country.”

“Our proposals for rejection of the memorandum are the only viable solution not only for Greece but also for all Europe,” the SYRIZA leader stated.

PASOK could be another coalition partner for ND but Socialist leader Evangelos Venizelos spoke of his preference for a government of “shared responsibility.” This suggested he would like SYRIZA to join a unity administration as well. Speaking on local television last night, PASOK’s former Education Minister Anna Diamantopoulou suggested that the Socialists would not enter a government if SYRIZA did not join as well. Venizelos went as far as suggesting that no party leader should attempt to form a government and that they should all proceed directly to talks chaired by President Karolos Papoulias with the aim of forming as broad a coalition as possible.

“There’s not a day to lose, there’s no time for political games,” said Venizelos. He added that PASOK had survived despite the pressure, which he attributed to “an election campaign that was artificially polarized between ND and SYRIZA.”

“We survived, both in terms of numbers, and politically,” he said.

Other options open to Samaras are to approach Independent Greeks or Democratic Left. Given that the former has a staunch anti-bailout stance, some kind of agreement seems a remote possibility.

Democratic Left leader Fotis Kouvelis, on the other hand, interpreted Sunday’s result as one that calls for the formation of a coalition government. While his party opposes some elements of the bailout, it is fiercely pro-euro and there is potential for it to be part of a coalition with ND and PASOK.

Following the inconclusive elections on May 6, Kouvelis rejected the opportunity to join the conservatives and Socialists. He insisted that SYRIZA would also have to be part of the government.

It is not clear if Kouvelis will make this a precondition this time as well.

From al-Jazeera