Stakes high for Europe in crucial Greek vote
06/05 12:48 CET
Greece’s conservative New Democracy party is leading the country’s parliamentary elections according to exit polls but is likely to fall short of a parliamentary majority.
The party is forecast to obtain between 16% and 20% of the vote, well below the 25% that opinion polls last month had suggested.
The centre-left PASOK party, New Democracy’s partner in the outgoing governing coalition, is given between 14% and 18%. Syriza, a group of left-wing parties is predicted to win a similar figure of between 15 to 18%.
With more than 37%, the two major parties PASOK and New Democracy who are both favourable to the austerity plan and the plan of international aid to Greece, will struggle to achieve an absolute majority.
The fear is an inconclusive result will aggravate political chaos in Greece and – if Athens fails to stick to its austerity programme – revive a eurozone crisis.
This is the first poll since Lucas Papademos took over as caretaker prime minister in November. He managed to push through hard-hitting and hugely unpopular cuts and reforms in return for European Union and International Monetary Fund bailouts.
Neo-nazi party Golden Dawn is also tipped to enter parliament, having won up to 6.5% of the vote according to the exit polls. Also passing the 3% threshold needed to win parliamentary seats are the communist KKP (7.5-9.5%), the Independent Greeks (10-12%) and the Democratic Left (4.5-6.5%)
06/05 12:48 CET
Greece’s conservative New Democracy party is leading the country’s parliamentary elections according to exit polls but is likely to fall short of a parliamentary majority.
The party is forecast to obtain between 16% and 20% of the vote, well below the 25% that opinion polls last month had suggested.
The centre-left PASOK party, New Democracy’s partner in the outgoing governing coalition, is given between 14% and 18%. Syriza, a group of left-wing parties is predicted to win a similar figure of between 15 to 18%.
With more than 37%, the two major parties PASOK and New Democracy who are both favourable to the austerity plan and the plan of international aid to Greece, will struggle to achieve an absolute majority.
The fear is an inconclusive result will aggravate political chaos in Greece and – if Athens fails to stick to its austerity programme – revive a eurozone crisis.
This is the first poll since Lucas Papademos took over as caretaker prime minister in November. He managed to push through hard-hitting and hugely unpopular cuts and reforms in return for European Union and International Monetary Fund bailouts.
Neo-nazi party Golden Dawn is also tipped to enter parliament, having won up to 6.5% of the vote according to the exit polls. Also passing the 3% threshold needed to win parliamentary seats are the communist KKP (7.5-9.5%), the Independent Greeks (10-12%) and the Democratic Left (4.5-6.5%)