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| Europe |
| Greek Socialists Swept from Power |
| 2004-03-08 |
| Greece’s conservative party has swept to power in the general election, ousting the socialists after more than a decade in power. With most of the votes counted, Costas Karamanlis’ New Democracy had won about 46% against 40.5% for George Papandreou’s Pasok. Mr Karamanlis acted immediately to try to dispel fears that the 2004 Athens Olympics would not be ready by August. I wonder how much this was a factor in the voting? "The Olympic Games will be the best and safest," Mr Karamanlis said. Even before making his victory speech, he met the chief organiser of the Athens Olympics, Gianna Angelopoulos, to discuss strategy to get stalled projects ready for August. A number of key construction projects remain unfinished, and are now under enormous time pressure as the start of the games approaches. Mr Karamanlis also hailed the Greek decision to throw out the socialists. "It is a new start for all Greeks," he said in his first televised speech as prime minister-elect. Mr Papandreou conceded defeat soon after voting ended when exit polls showed New Democracy with a five-point lead. Mr Papandreou and Mr Karamanlis are members of the two dynasties which have dominated Greece since the 1950s "New Democracy has won the elections. I wish Karamanlis success in his work for the good of Greece," he said. Pasok had been in power almost continuously since 1981. Provisional estimates say New Democracy will end up with 170 of parliament’s 300 seats. Difficulties may arise next year when the Greek parliament is due to elect a new president. If the conservatives fail to persuade 180 MPs to accept their candidate, there will have to be new elections. Another pressing task for New Democracy is to see through negotiations aimed at reuniting Cyprus before it joins the European Union in May. "We will all together, united, give the great battle to safeguard a just, functional and European solution to the political problem of Cyprus," and we’re happy if it takes a long time for Turkey to be admitted to the EU Mr Karamanlis said on Sunday. Revellers celebrating the conservatives’ victory on the streets of Athens said a change at the top had been long overdue. Costas Karamanlis will be Greece’s youngest-ever premier "We had that regime for 20 years," one told the BBC. "No matter if they were good or bad, they had to change... and I think that the attitude towards the people will change." wishful thinking? if it isn’t working, changing it at random isn’t likely to fix things Our correspondent reports that the new prime minister is offering a more northern European-style administration. but this might help He said his priorities would be education for the new generation, more jobs and reform of agriculture, and he promised what he called a human, inclusive state for all citizens. The man tipped to become the new finance minister, George Alogoskoufis, has said that New Democracy has been given a clear mandate for economic reform "to make Greece more competitive". Mr Alogoskoufis has previously called for tax cuts, investment incentives and market deregulation. He recently listed his priorities for development as agriculture, tourism, shipping, energy production, transportation and telecoms. I was in Greece in 2000. Not interested in going to this year’s Games, though. |
| Posted by:rkb |
| #12 What are they behind on, if you don't mind my asking. Actually, perversely, I don't think there'll be an attack at the Games. They want W out and the last thing they want is to remind Americans they're/we're at war. |
| Posted by: Anonymous2U 2004-3-8 8:23:38 PM |
| #11 Cyber Sarge> No, I'm not renting rooms -- at this point I don't even know for sure whether I'll be a civilian or in the army by the time of the games... it all depends on how soon I'll manage to finish my postgrad diploma work. |
| Posted by: Aris Katsaris 2004-3-8 7:08:21 PM |
| #10 and he's one of my few hopes that ND will do good things. Let us hope. I knew we could agree on something ;> |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-3-8 5:08:26 PM |
| #9 i was thinking that KKE may have given ND an edge in the election. No clear majority but enough to gain power. And yes they are still left of American politics. Side question: Are you close to the Olympic venues and are you renting rooms? |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge (VRWC CA Chapter) 2004-3-8 3:46:16 PM |
| #8 Cyber Sarge> KKE gained a bit to 5.9%. Synaspismos (Coalition of the Left) was stable at 3.2%. DIKKI's power was reduced to 1.5 or something. Those are the minor leftist parties. There's also the far-right LAOS (People's Orthodox Alarm) at about 2%. Alogoskoufis is one of the few decent liberals (by which I mean folk that are both laissez-faire in economy and liberals in societal issues) remaining in ND, and he's one of my few hopes that ND will do good things. Let us hope. Cyber Sarge> *Everyone's* leftist compared to America. ND may be a bit more Right-wing compared to PASOK, but it's probably still to the left of the American political spectrum. And nah, I'm not hitting either grappa (first I hear of it!) or ouzo, though the results disappointed me not just on the party level but the individual MPs level also. Waiting to see the ministerial cabinet to be announced tomorrow. |
| Posted by: Aris Katsaris 2004-3-8 3:01:33 PM |
| #7 Were they swept away to the Dustbin of History?... |
| Posted by: mojo 2004-3-8 2:21:09 PM |
| #6 Mr Alogoskoufis has previously called for tax cuts, investment incentives and market deregulation. The long arm of Chainney & Haliburton. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-3-8 12:31:06 PM |
| #5 Isn't grappa Italian? I'd imagine Aris is sloshing a bottle of ouzo about at the moment. In fact, there's probably a lot of alcohol being consumed in Greece right now. Must be a pretty shocking spectacle for all the British tourists out there. |
| Posted by: Bulldog 2004-3-8 12:25:32 PM |
| #4 If I were Aris I would probably be hitting the grappa right about now.... Actually, that sounds pretty good now that I think about it. Grappa is smoooooth. |
| Posted by: Secret Master 2004-3-8 12:08:47 PM |
| #3 Aris, What's going on here? I thought hte Europeans were all left turns and now this? The outcomes shows an evenly divided electorate. Did KKE gain or lose this time around? |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge (VRWC CA Chapter) 2004-3-8 11:39:29 AM |
| #2 I wonder how much this was a factor in the voting? I don't think it was much of a factor - if people were afraid for the Olympics then they'd probably have kept PASOK, rather than upset the boat with the use of a new government and untried ministers. "We had that regime for 20 years," one told the BBC No, you had that "regime" for 11 years, you stupid wanker. That's a serious pet peeve of mine, the way many NDers in their rhetoric consolidate the various years of PASOK government and present them as if they are continuous. After the fall of the dictatorship we had about 8 years of ND rule, and then 8 years of PASOK rule, and then 1 year of interim governments, and then 3+half years of ND government, and then 10 years of PASOK. So, yeah, if one selectively counts from 1981 (rather than the less arbitrary 1974 or 1994) onwards there's a sum of about 20 years of PASOK, and only 4 years of ND. But the 20 years were not continuous. |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2004-3-8 9:58:55 AM |
| #1 The Socialists hate us for the Reign of Colonels. The Rightists hate us for not supporting Orthodox hegemony in the former Yugoslavia. Why should I care one way or the other? |
| Posted by: Hiryu 2004-3-8 9:36:59 AM |