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.
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
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
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