The almost eight million Greek voters bet this Sunday for the permanence in power of the conservatives of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and rejected the turn to the left proposed by the leader of Syriza, Alexis Tsipras.
With around 91 percent of the votes counted, New Democracy (ND, right-wing and in power since 2019) obtained 40.8% of the votes cast and guarantees a 20-point advantage over Syriza, which only obtained 20 .1%, well below the survey forecasts. .
In 2019, ND had obtained 39.9% -guaranteeing an absolute majority due to an electoral law already repealed but which will return to force in the next round and which grants an additional bonus of 50 deputies to the party with the most votes- and Syriza 31.5 %.
In third place are the Pasok-Kinal Social Democrats with 11.6% (8.1% four years ago) followed by the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) with 7% (5.3% in 2019) and the formation of extreme right Towards Freedom (Plefsi Eleftherias). ), with 4.5%.
With 2.6%, the left-wing MeRA25 party, of former Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis, is left out of Parliament by failing to overcome the 3% barrier to guarantee a presence in the chamber with 300 deputies.
In a statement, and in reaction to the electoral results, Varoufakis’s party considered that “the Erdoganization and Organization of the country are complete”, in reference to the current regimes in Turkey and Hungary, attributed the victory to “the overwhelming majority of Mitsotakis Ltd” to the actions of the Syriza leadership, by not accepting “a pre-electoral convergence in a common front in favor of the rupture”.
The electoral result constitutes clear support for the conservative and liberal economic management carried out by Mitsotakis in the last four years, and these elections were the first since the Greek economy ceased to be under the strict supervision of international creditors who granted large loans (rescue funds) during the so-called debt crisis that in 2010 put the country on the verge of bankruptcy and lasted for a decade, reports the Efe agency.
Despite continuing to be one of the poorest countries in the European Union (EU), its economy grew by 8.4% and 5.9%, respectively, in 2021 and 2022, percentages well above the European average.
Foreign investment increased significantly and the economic recovery allowed Mitsotakis to lower taxes, increase pensions and the minimum wage.
“The result showed that the ND has the approval of the citizens to govern alone,” said the prime minister, hinting at a second round that could guarantee him an absolute majority.
None of the parties or coalitions managed to reach the percentage of 45% necessary to secure an absolute majority in these elections. If ND insisted on not forming coalitions with other formations, new elections would be called which, according to the Greek media, could take place between the end of June and the beginning of July.
“We have to lead more radical changes to reduce the ground that separates us from Europe” and that cannot be done with “unsafe” alliances, Mitsotakis insisted.
Greek voters punished Syriza, the main opposition party, led by former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, the night’s biggest loser by falling 11 points from 2019.
The formations of the Greek left emerge more fragmented and weakened from these elections, and Tsipras failed to convince the electorate of the “big changes” he promised, many reminding the painful reforms he agreed to apply to the country to guarantee a third financial bailout in 2015. .
In Greece, the memories of that period of polarization are still alive after the call for a referendum against the austerity imposed by international creditors, with the population’s rejection of the ‘troika’ measures and with Tsipras’ subsequent acceptance of the new bailout , which allowed the country to remain in the eurozone.
“I spoke to Mitsotakis and congratulated him on his victory,” Tsipras said in a video message in which he admitted his party’s defeat.
The opposition could not benefit electorally from the high cost of living, one of the issues of the campaign, from the growing authoritarianism of the government, nor from several scandals, in addition to the serious train accident that killed 57 people and unleashed a massive wave of protests.
The participation rate stands at 60.6%, three points higher than in 2019.
Source: TSF
