GREECE-VOTE/ARRIVALS Greek government faces first test as crucial presidential vote begins
Record ID:
328400
GREECE-VOTE/ARRIVALS Greek government faces first test as crucial presidential vote begins
- Title: GREECE-VOTE/ARRIVALS Greek government faces first test as crucial presidential vote begins
- Date: 17th December 2014
- Summary: ATHENS, GREECE (DECEMBER 17, 2014)(REUTERS) ENTRANCE TO GREEK PARLIAMENT VARIOUS OF CAMERAS SET UP (SOUNDBITE) (English) DEPUTY ADMINISTRATIVE REFORM MINISTER, EVI CHRISTOFILOPOULOU, SAYING: "Democracy , development and growth is at stake. Greece is at the turning point, we are going to vote for a new president of the republic. We hope this is going to be a kickstart for the third round and in the third round, in a few days just after Christmas, we will be able to elect a new president." (SOUNDBITE) (English) NEW DEMOCRACY LAWMAKER, ADONIS GEORGIADIS, SAYING: "We hope for a good result that will increase our chances to elect a president. " (SOUNDBITE) (Greek) INDEPENDENT GREEKS PARTY SPOKESMAN, TERENS QUICK, SAYING: "The government is making childish calculations at what it expects to achieve today. But on the 29th of December it will have an answer, we will go to the polls and Greece will once again regain national sovereignty." (SOUNDBITE) (Greek) SYRIZA MAIN OPPOSITION PARTY LAWMAKER, PANAGIOTIS LAFAZANIS, SAYING: "I will vote 'present' so as not to extend the life of a catastrophic government and so as not to contribute to the possibility of a new bailout and another ravaging of the Greek people." ENTRANCE TO PARLIAMENT SURROUNDED BY JOURNALISTS
- Embargoed: 1st January 2015 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Greece
- Country: Greece
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVAD4EBFFLC6IKE1LL98J7DW1QDQ
- Story Text: The government of Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras on Wednesday (December 17) faced the first of three rounds of a presidential vote that will determine whether the country is forced into snap national elections and a new period of political chaos.
Samaras's conservative-socialist coalition of the New Democracy and Pasok parties is almost certain to fail in the first round, when it needs the support of 200 lawmakers in the 300-seat chamber to elect its nominee, Stavros Dimas.
But the backing his coalition, which controls 155 deputies, garners will be closely watched as a sign of momentum for or against it ahead of a final, decisive vote on December 29 when the super majority required for victory falls to 180.
Government officials said over 160 in favour in the first round would be a positive step.
"Democracy , development and growth is at stake. Greece is at the turning point, we are going to vote for a new president of the republic. We hope this is going to be a kickstart for the third round and in the third round, in a few days just after Christmas, we will be able to elect a new president," Deputy Administrative Reform Minister, Evi Christofilopoulou, whose PASOK party is a member of the governing coalition, told Reuters TV.
"We hope for a good result that will increase our chances to elect a president," said New Democracy lawmaker Adonis Georgiadis, whose party is a member of the governing coalition.
Two key small parties -- Democratic Left, which quit the government last year, and the right-wing, anti-austerity Independent Greeks -- repeated that they would not vote with the government and would prefer a snap election.
"The government is making childish calculations at what it expects to achieve today. But on the 29th of December it will have an answer, we will go to the polls and Greece will once again regain national sovereignty," said Independent Greeks party spokesman, Terens Quick.
The 300 lawmakers in parliament began the vote to elect a new president at 7.00 p.m. (1700 GMT). The deputies that will not vote for the president say 'present' during the name call vote while those in favour will say the name of the candidate - Stavros Dimas.
The key is a pool of about two dozen independent lawmakers whose votes will decide the outcome. Of these, seven have said they will support Samaras and eight have declared against, at least in the initial rounds.
As manoeuvring continued, speculation grew over possible alternative proposals, including a deal that could involve a commitment by the government to hold elections later next year in exchange for support in the presidential vote.
But in addition to the independents, Samaras would also need the support of at least a few lawmakers from Democratic Left, and Independent Greeks.
The head of state is a largely ceremonial post. But failure to elect a president triggers early elections, which polls show would probably be won by the radical leftist Syriza party that promises to axe the bailout programme Greece depends on to keep afloat.
"I will vote 'present' so as not to extend the life of a catastrophic government and so as not to contribute to the possibility of a new bailout and another ravaging of the Greek people," said Syriza party lawmaker Panagiotis Lafazanis.
Underlining the drama of the occasion, seven lawmakers from the far-right Golden Dawn party currently in jail pending trial on charges of being members of a criminal association, will be allowed to attend parliament to vote.
The prime minister's office issued a statement saying the vote was not about his government but about defending the constitution and respecting the office of president.
Greece's euro zone partners are wary that such a result could trigger trouble in the currency bloc. Fears of a new chapter of prolonged political uncertainty have sent Greek stocks and bonds crashing.
Samaras has warned of a "catastrophic" return to the height of Greece's debt crisis - when it risked being driven out of the euro zone -- if his government falls, while Syriza has accused him of scare-mongering and blackmail to win support. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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