GREECE: Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis asks voters for new mandate

Record ID: 215660

  • Title: GREECE: Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis asks voters for new mandate
  • Date: 15th September 2007
  • Summary: (BN15) ATHENS, GREECE (SEPTEMBER 14, 2007) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CROWD AT RALLY PEOPLE HOLDING FLAGS (SOUNDBITE) (Greek) IOANNA ZAFIRAKI, RESIDENT FROM THE REGION OF ZACHARO IN THE PELOPONNESE THAT SUFFERED FROM THE RECENT FIRES SAYING: "I am a resident of Zacharo, and we are expecting a lot from Karamanlis, everything that he can offer us." BANNER IN CROWD FROM ZACHARO RES
  • Embargoed: 30th September 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Greece
  • Country: Greece
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVABRRBRTTZ6EJM960WHBUJXIAQ6
  • Story Text: Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis says his conservative party has made huge strides in its three and a half years in power but needed a strong victory in Sunday's election to push on.
    In his final campaign speech in Athens on Friday (September 14) he called for a strong mandate from the people.
    He praised the government's successes in the economy, and referred several times to the youth and securing their future both in terms of better jobs and education.
    Since Karamanlis came to power Greece has boasted growth of more than 4 percent, the budget deficit has been lowered below the European Union's 3 percent ceiling after years, and unemployment is down from 11.4 to 7.7 percent since 2004.
    Karamanlis, who celebrated his 51st birthday on Friday, said more difficult reforms were needed for further development and competitiveness.
    Supporters honked horns and waved thousands of blue and white flags as balloons were released in the air.
    Residents of Zacharo in the fire ravaged region of the Peloponnese, where 65 people died, were among the crowds, waving a banner reading, "Zacharo votes for Karamanlis."
    Latest opinion polls show Karamanlis slightly ahead in polls by 1-2 percentage points from the main opposition Socialist party, or PASOK, led by George Papandreou. Both met at the polls in 2004 when New Democracy regained the reigns of power from PASOK after 11 years.
    During his term his party has faced an economic scandal over bonds and student street protests over education reform.
    The recent deadly fires also caused a backlash of criticism for the Karamanlis government, and latest polls showed voters had moved their support from the two main parties to smaller parties, opening the possibility that whoever wins may not achieve enough votes to form a government.
    Karamanlis has ruled out a coalition with other parties however, saying new elections would be called if there was no outright winner, He said only a majority government could have the power to carry out reforms with decisiveness.
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