Greece: Slim chances to form a government
AFP PHOTO / POOL / ARIS MESSINIS
The formation of a government in Greece is becoming a burning issue for the entire Eurozone. The results of the Sunday 6 May elections tuned out an absolutely fragmented political scenery, with even a pro-Nazi group, the Golden Dawn, until last week a marginal bunch of bullies, getting 7% and 21 deputies in a house of 300. Another new extreme right-wing formation of 'Independent Greeks' got 10.6% and 33 deputies.
The attitude of protest voters undertook send a small until yesterday left wing party named SIRYZA, under its youth leader Alexis Tsipras, to the second place (making it main opposition) with 16.8% of ballots and 52 deputies. The once-mighty socialist Pasok came only third with 13.2% and 41 deputies. New Democracy, under its leader Antonis Samaras was voted first with 18.9% and 108 deputies. In this way, the much hoped-for by Brussels and Berlin coalition government of Pasok-ND, is not possible. Those are the two main parties which support the terms of the second Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) the country signed last March with its creditors EU-ECB-IMF, and obviously they were punished for applying the austerity that goes along with it.
According to the constitution, Antonis Samaras, the leader of New Democracy (which appeared as the first party on Sunday) took yesterday, Monday 7 May, the presidential mandate to form a government. It took him only hours to return the mandate because it briefly proved impossible to gather a parliamentary coalition with 151 deputies to back a government under him. Today at 14.00, the mandate will go to Alexis Tsipras leader of the second party in Sunday's vote. He has already proposed to the other two left wing parties, the Greek Communist Party (8.5% and 26 deputies) and the Democratic Left (6.1% and 19 deputies) to cooperate. The communists have already turned down the offer. Tsipras might try other combinations to reach a coalition mustering the magic number of 151 deputies, but this will prove very difficult.
The third and last mandate will go to Evagelos Venizelos leader of Pasok, which came third on Sunday. Vanizelos has already proposed a national coalition government regrouping the political forces which are supporting the Eurozone membership of Greece, not necessarily under him as prime minister. Practically all the parliamentary parties, with the exception of the communists, support the Eurozone membership of Greece, but most of them do not agree with the austerity terms imposed by the MoU the Papademos government signed some weeks ago with the troika of country's creditors EU-ECB-IMF.
By the same token all parties, again with the exception of the communists and the Golden Dawn are probable members of a parliamentary alliance to form a government. The communists will not participate, and the Golden Dawn will not be invited by any of the three political leaders who will get the mandate.
If Venizelos also fails to form a parliamentary coalition mustering at least 151 deputies, then the president will dissolve the newly-elected parliament, and proclaim new elections.
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