Hellenes Vote Papandreou, Karamanlis Resigns as Head of ND
07 / 10 / 2009
“And like every Greek, I hope that he succeeds at the big challenge of facing up to the economic situation,” Karamanlis said. “Because this challenge, I have said many times, is a national issue.”
ATHENS, Greece (CNN) — Greece’s opposition Socialist party on Sunday October 4th 2009, defeated the incumbent center-right government of Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis, on the promise of Socialist leader George Papandreou to chart a new course for an economic comeback.
“On this course, nothing is going to be easy — it will take work, hard work,” Papandreou said in his victory address. “And I will always be honest with the Greek people so that we may better solve the problems of the state.”
Sunday’s national elections were held two years before originally scheduled. Karamanlis called the elections in response to pressure from Papandreou’s Panhellenic Socialist Movement of Greece, which threatened to block the election of a president in February if no general election was held. The Greek constitution requires the two major parties to agree on the election of a president, giving either party an effective veto. Karamanlis’ term was not due to expire until September 2011. But Papandreou insisted on new elections before the end of President Karolos Papoulias’ term as president.
The country’s ailing economy was the focus in the run up to the elections, as both candidates offered conflicting prescriptions to revive it. While Karamanlis called for cuts in spending, Papandreou proposed a massive stimulus. Karamanlis, of the New Democracy party, congratulated Papandreou in a nationally televised concession speech. “And like every Greek, I hope that he succeeds at the big challenge of facing up to the economic situation,” Karamanlis said. “Because this challenge, I have said many times, is a national issue.”
It is expected that Karamanlis would step down as New Democracy party leader, as the elections marked the worst defeat the party has seen in more than 20 years. According to figures posted on the Interior Ministry’s Web site, the Socialist party received 44 percent of the vote, compared with New Democracy’s 34 percent, with 87 percent of votes counted. The Communist Part received 21 (7.54%), the Popular Orthodox Rally 15, (5.63%), and the Radical Left Coalition 13 (4.59%). Voter turnout totaled 70.91%.
The margin is the largest seen in a Greek vote in decades. The Socialist party will receive an estimated 160 seats in Greece’s 300-seat Parliament, officials said, compared with New Democracy’s 93 seats.
Greek state television ERT showed cheering, flag-waving crowds surrounding Papandreou as he made his way to party headquarters.
Put Smiles in Faces of Hellenes Again
“Our responsibility is to change the direction in which the country is going,” said PASOK leader and Prime-Minister elect George Papandreou in a brief statement during which he promised to “put smiles back on the faces of Greeks” and to “put the citizen at the heart” of his government�s actions.
Papandreou – a former foreign minister – received several congratulatory phone calls from world leaders including US President Barack Obama, who said he wanted to be amongst the first to congratulate the PASOK leader, along with Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Zapatero, Cyprus President Demetris Christofias.
Karamanlis announced that he would be stepping down as the president of New Democracy, a position he held since 1997. He said a party congress will be convened in a month’s time, where he will not stand for re-election as party leader. Karamanlis, 53, served as premier since March 2004, winning general elections twice (2004 and 2007), losing once by a slim margin in April 2000 before Sunday�s convincing loss. He spoke during a nationally televised address at the Zappeion Hall in Athens, after first conceding defeat and phone PASOK leader George Papandreou.
In his address, Karamanlis assumed the responsibility for the party’s defeat, adding that it was “self-evident” that he will not be a candidate at the upcoming party congress.
Initially, he thanked the citizens who supported ND in the elections at such a “difficult economic and political conjuncture”, adding that the government had to face the “storm” of the most serious postwar international crisis.
“At the same time I assumed without a second thought to present with absolute sincerity the difficult decisions and not the pleasant measures that must be taken in the economy,” the prime minister further said and congratulated main opposition PASOK party leader George Papandreou for his victory … Just like every Greek, we hope that he will succeed in the big challenge of the economic conjunctures because this challenge is a national cause,” he said.
“Millions of citizens were with us, with spirit, with faith in the aim of these struggles. In 2000 we increased our election percentages impressively. In 2004 we won the elections and assumed the responsibility of the country’s governance. In 2007 we achieved a new considerable election victory,” he said, adding:
“In today’s elections I raised myself as a major issue, as was necessitated by the circumstances through difficult but necessary decisions the handling of the long-lasting weaknesses of the economy and an exit from the crisis as soon as possible. I submitted a realistic plan which, as I believed and believe, constitutes the safest path to safeguard the economy and as of 2011 development for all and not for a few.
“I shall remain in the front line of the party; I shall support the decisions that shall be taken in the congress and the leader who shall be elected through anticipated procedures. I shall remain in the front line of the national struggles,” the prime minister concluded.
President Papoulias: ‘The Greek people are voting for their future’
“This is a top moment, in which the Greek people are voting for their future,” President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias said after casting his ballot in Ioannina in Sunday’s general elections. “I hope and wish that everything will go well,” the President added.
New PM Sworn In.
PASOK leader George Papandreou was sworn in as Prime Minister today (October 6), after the party�s landslide win on Sunday�s election. The ceremony took place at the Presidential Mansion before the President of the Hellenic Republic Karolos Papoulias. The new premier is expected to finalize the makeup of his cabinet and announce it by this evening.
The members of the new government were sworn in October 7. The new cabinet is expected is smaller and includes several women
07 / 10 / 2009 | Tags: Elections, EUROPEAN UNION, pasok |
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