Next Greek legislative election

Greek legislative election, 2012

2009 ← 2012 → 2016

All 300 seats of the Hellenic Parliament 151 seats needed for a majority.   Leader George Papandreou Antonis Samaras Aleka Papariga Party PASOK ND KKE Leader since 8 February 2004 30 November 2009 1991 Last election 160 seats, 43.9% 91 seats, 33.5% 21 seats, 7.5% Current seats 153 85 21   Leader Georgios Karatzaferis Alexis Tsipras Party LAOS SYRIZA Leader since 14 September 2000 2008 Last election 15 seats, 5.6% 13 seats, 4.6% Current seats 16 9

Incumbent Prime Minister Lucas Papademos Independent

A parliamentary election was originally scheduled to be held in 2013 as per the constitution; however, due to an agreement to form a coalition government in November 2011 in order to ratify and implement the decisions agreed to with other Eurozone countries and the IMF on 26 October, one of the conditions was to hold an early election.^[1] This is expected to happen by the end of February 2012.^[2]

Background

The European sovereign debt crisis and the Greek financial crisis, in particular, have led to an escalated political crisis. Following the announcement by Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou that a referendum would take place to determine whether Greece would accept the next bailout deal with the European Union, the IMF and the ECB,^[3][4][5] the parties of the opposition and politicians from within the ruling Panhellenic Socialist Movement have demanded early elections.^{[6][7][8][9][10]}

At the same time, protests and strikes in Greece have been commonplance, with some turning violent. Social unrest in the country is the result of a series of austerity packages passed by the Greek parliament since 2010.

On 4 November, 2011 there was a vote of confidence in the parliament, which was narrowly won by the government of George Papandreou by a vote of 153 to 145 in the 300-seat body.^[11] Another vote of confidence is set for 4 November 2011,^[12] and though a number of Panhellenic Socialist Movement MPs have said they will not support the government in the vote of confidence,^[12] all 152 PASOK MPs supported the government,^[13] but only because Papandreou has agreed to step down as Prime Minister in order for a government of national unity to take over^[13]. Following the vote of confidence one previously expelled PASOK member was re-admitted to the party, raising the Papandreou majority to 153 seats.

No date has been set for the elections, however in his speech in parliament on 4 November Evangelos Venizelos said that the caretaker government would last until February 2012, when elections would be held.^[14] The most likely election date is 19 February 2012.^[15] However, Papademos indicated one of the preconditions for accepting the office as Prime Minister was that the elections would be held at a later date, and after being sworn in he denied that elections had been set for 19 February 2012.^[16]

Procedure

Voting is mandatory;^[17] however no sanctions or penalties have ever been enforced.^[18] Penalties do nevertheless still nominally exist.^[19]

Current composition

The Hellenic Parliament is currently made up of nine parties, of which only five are recognized as "parties" while the rest as "independent" due to the fact that they were formed after the Greek general election, 2009. These parties, with number of seats in the Parliament and the number of seats they have lost or gained since the 2009 elections, are:

Panhellenic Socialist Movement – 153 seats ( 7)      New Democracy – 83 seats ( 8)      Communist Party of Greece – 21 seats      Popular Orthodox Rally – 16 ( 1)      Coalition of the Radical Left – 9 seats ( 4)      Democratic Alliance – 4 seats ( 4)      Democratic Left – 4 seats ( 4)      Panhellenic Citizen Chariot – 1 seat ( 1)      Free Citizens – 1 seat ( 1)      Independents – 8 seats

Opinion polls

Surveys carried out since 2009 show a sharp decline in the number of votes allocated to the two major parties, PASOK and New Democracy.

Date	Company	PASOK	ND	KKE	LAOS	SYRIZA	DL	GREENS	DA	OTHERS/Undecided
Oct. 2010[20]	Public Issue	42.5%	28%	11%	5.5%	2.5%	–	2.5%	–	–
Jan. 2011[21]	Public Issue	38.5%	30.5%	10.5%	5.5%	6%	–	2.5%	–	–
Apr. 2011[22]	Public Issue	33.5%	27%	12%	8.5%	5.5%	3%	3%	2.5%	–
July 2011[23]	Public Issue	26.5%	32.5%	11.5%	7.5%	9%	2%	3.5%	1.5%	–
Sept. 2011[24]	Public Issue	28%	32%	10.5%	8%	9%	3%	4%	1.5%	Others — 4%
Sept. 2011[25]	GPO	15.5%	22.3%	9.8%	7.9%	4.8%	2.7%	2.4%	2.0%	19.7%
Sept. 2011[26]	Alco	15.5%	21.3%	7.4%	5.6%	5.0%	2.5%	3.0%	2.5%	20.3%
Oct. 2011[27]	Public Issue	22.5%	31.5%	10.5%	9%	9.5%	5%	3%	2%	Others — 7%
Oct. 2011[28]	VPRC	19.5%	31.0%	13.5%	8.0%	8.5%	4.0%	4.5%	2.0%	Others — 9.0%
Nov. 2011[29]	Public Issue	19.5%	28.5%	11%	8.5%	12%	7.5%	3.5%	2.5%	Others — 7%
Nov. 2011[30]	MRB	18.1%	33.1%	11%	7.1%	8.8%	7.5%	3.2%	3.2%	Others — 8%
Nov. 2011[31]	VPRC	18.5%	32.0%	12.5%	7.0%	10.0%	6.5%	3.5%	2.0%	Others — 8.0%

References

1. ^ "Κατ' αρχήν συμφωνία Παπανδρέου - Σαμαρά για την κυβέρνηση συνεργασίας [Agreement between Papandreou and Samaras for coalition government]". In.gr. http://news.in.gr/greece/article/?aid=1231136367. Retrieved 7 November 2011. 
2. ^ "Ευ. Βενιζέλος: Μέχρι τον Φεβρουάριο η διάρκεια του νέου κυβερνητικού σχήματος [Ev. Venizelos: New government to last until later February]". Skai TV. http://www.skai.gr/news/politics/article/185318/eu-venizelos-mehri-ton-fevrouario-i-diarkeia-tou-neou-kuvernitikou-shimatos/. Retrieved 7 November 2011. 
3. ^ "Ρίσκα και αβεβαιότητες από την πολιτική «βόμβα» για δημοψήφισμα [Risks and uncertainties by the political "bomb" for a referendum]". Skai TV. http://www.skai.gr/news/politics/article/184900/dimopsifisma-kai-psifo-ebistosunis-zitise-o-prothupourgos-/. Retrieved 31 October 2011. 
4. ^ "Papandreou calls referendum on EU deal". Euronews. http://www.euronews.net/2011/10/31/papandreou-calls-referendum-on-eu-deal-/. Retrieved 31 October 2011. 
5. ^ "Greece debt crisis: Referendum promised on EU deal". BBC. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15526719. Retrieved 31 October 2011. 
6. ^ "Ομοβροντία από την αντιπολίτευση που ζητάει εκλογές [Opposition bursts, demanding elections]". Eleftherotypia. http://www.enet.gr/?i=news.el.politikh&id=322397. Retrieved 31 October 2011. 
7. ^ "ΚΚΕ: Εκλογές τώρα [Communist Party of Greece: Elections now]". Ethnos. http://www.ethnos.gr/article.asp?catid=22767&subid=2&pubid=63507374. Retrieved 31 October 2011. 
8. ^ "ΝΔ: Ο Παπανδρέου πατάει γκάζι για το γκρεμό [New Democracy: Papandreou is heading full speed ahead for the cliff]". Ethnos. http://www.ethnos.gr/article.asp?catid=22767&subid=2&pubid=63507382. Retrieved 31 October 2011. 
9. ^ "Δημοκρατική Αριστερά: Ας προχωρήσει η χώρα σε πρόωρες εκλογές [Democratic Left: Let the country head for elections]". Ethnos. http://www.ethnos.gr/article.asp?catid=22767&subid=2&pubid=63507380. Retrieved 31 October 2011. 
10. ^ "«Το ΠΑΣΟΚ είναι πλέον άδειο σακί» ["PASOK is now an empty sack"]". Eleftherotypia. http://www.enet.gr/?i=news.el.politikh&id=322611. Retrieved 1 November 2011. 
11. ^ "Greek government survives confidence vote". BBC. 21 June 2011. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-13869428. Retrieved 4 November 2011. 
12. ^ ^{a b} "Greece PM Papandreou faces knife-edge confidence vote". BBC. 4 November 2011. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15586673. Retrieved 4 November 2011. 
13. ^ ^{a b} "Ντόλιος - Κρεμαστινός: Ψήφος εμπιστοσύνης και μετά κυβέρνηση κοινής αποδοχής [Dolios - Kremastinos: Vote of confidence and then a government of common acceptance]". Skai TV. 4 November 2011. http://www.skai.gr/news/politics/article/185251/dolios-kremastinos-psifos-ebistosunis-kai-meta-kuvernisi-koinis-apodohis/. Retrieved 4 November 2011. 
14. ^ "Ευ. Βενιζέλος: Μέχρι τον Φεβρουάριο η διάρκεια του νέου κυβερνητικού σχήματος [Ev. Venizelos: New government to last until February]". Skai TV. 4 November 2011. http://www.skai.gr/news/politics/article/185318/eu-venizelos-mehri-ton-fevrouario-i-diarkeia-tou-neou-kuvernitikou-shimatos/. Retrieved 4 November 2011. 
15. ^ "Greek PM George Papandreou resigns; polls set for February". Business Today. http://businesstoday.intoday.in/story/greek-pm-george-papandreou-resigns;-polls-set-for-february/1/19851.html. Retrieved 7 November 2011. 
16. ^ http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/europe/news/article_1674592.php/LEAD-Greece-s-new-premier-to-name-interim-government
17. ^ "Constitution of Greece". Hellenic Parliament. http://www.hellenicparliament.gr/UserFiles/f3c70a23-7696-49db-9148-f24dce6a27c8/001-156%20aggliko.pdf. Retrieved 5 November 2011. "Article 51, Clause 5: The exercise of the right to vote is compulsory." 
18. ^ "Υποχρεωτική η ψήφος αλλά «παγωμένες» οι κυρώσεις [Voting is mandatory, but penalties "frozen"]". Eleftherotypia. http://archive.enet.gr/online/online_text/c=112,dt=12.06.2004,id=20721500. Retrieved 7 November 2011. 
19. ^ [www.kerkyra.gr/portal/ekloges/PD_96-2007.doc "Προεδρικό Διάταγμα 96/2007 [Presidential Decree 96/2007]"]. www.kerkyra.gr/portal/ekloges/PD_96-2007.doc. "Article 117, Clause 1: The elector who unjustifiably does not vote is punished with imprisonment of [at least] one month and up to one year." 
20. ^ "Πολιτικό Βαρόμετρο 83 - Οκτώβριος 2010". Public Issue (publicissue.gr). October 2010. http://www.publicissue.gr/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/varometro-83-oct-2010.pdf. Retrieved 2 November 2011. 
21. ^ "Πολιτικό Βαρόμετρο 86 - Ιανουάριος 2011". Public Issue (publicissue.gr). January 2011. http://www.publicissue.gr/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/varometro-jan-2011.pdf. Retrieved 2 November 2011. 
22. ^ "Σε ελεύθερη πτώση ο δικομματισμός [Bipartism in freefall]" (in Greek). Skai TV. http://www.skai.gr/news/politics/article/167391/se-eleutheri-ptosi-o-dikommatismos-kai-katholiki-apaxiosi-ton-kommaton-exousias/. Retrieved 2 November 2011. "Only 11% of people asked say they are pleased with the way the government is handling the problems, and 6% [are pleased] with the opposition. [...] In the prediction of electoral influence, PASOK is first with 33.5% followed by ND with 27%." 
23. ^ "Πολιτικό Βαρόμετρο 92 - Ιούλιος 2011". Public Issue (publicissue.gr). July 2011. http://www.publicissue.gr/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/varometro-07-2011.pdf. Retrieved 2 November 2011. 
24. ^ "Πολιτικό Βαρόμετρο 94 - Σεπτέμβριος 2011". Public Issue (publicissue.gr). September 2011. http://www.publicissue.gr/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/varometro-sep-2011.pdf. Retrieved 2 November 2011. 
25. ^ "Δημοσκόπηση της GPO για την εκπομπή «Ανατροπή» του Mega". GPO (eklogika.gr). September 2011. http://www.eklogika.gr/uploads/files/Dimoskopiseis/GPO-Mega26-9-11.pdf. Retrieved 9 November 2011. 
26. ^ "Γκάλοπ ALCO για το Πρώτο Θέμα". ALCO (eklogika.gr). September 2011. http://www.eklogika.gr/uploads/files/Dimoskopiseis/AlcoPrwtoThema25-9-11.pdf. Retrieved 9 November 2011. 
27. ^ "Πολιτικό Βαρόμετρο 95 - Οκτώβριος 2011". Public Issue (www.skai.gr). October 2011. http://www.skai.gr/files/1/PDF/varometroskaitVoktober.pdf. Retrieved 2 November 2011. 
28. ^ "Εκτίμηση εκλογικής επιρροής — Οκτώβριος 2011". VPRC (www.vprc.gr). October 2011. http://www.vprc.gr/uplds/File/teleytaia%20nea/Epikaira/Political%20climate%20and%20governance_VPRC_October2011.pdf. Retrieved 7 November 2011. 
29. ^ "Πολιτικό Βαρόμετρο 96 - Νοέμβριος 2011". Public Issue (www.publicissue.gr). November 2011. http://www.publicissue.gr/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/varometro-nov-2011.pdf. Retrieved 17 November 2011. 
30. ^ "Πρόθεση ψήφου — Νοέμβριος 2011". MRB (www.mrb.gr). November 2011. http://www.mrb.gr/Mrb/media/RN-10-11-11-2011.pdf. Retrieved 17 November 2011. 
31. ^ "Εκτίμηση εκλογικής επιρροής — Νοέμβριος 2011". VPRC (www.vprc.gr). November 2011. http://www.vprc.gr/uplds/File/teleytaia%20nea/Epikaira/Political%20climate%20and%20governance_VPRC_November2011.pdf. Retrieved 17 November 2011.