May 2012 Greek government formation

Last updated

The Greek government formation of May 2012 was a series of failed attempts to form a new government after the legislative election in May 2012 by the three largest parties: New Democracy (centre-right), Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA, left-far left) and Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK, centre-Left), respectively, and then followed by the President of Greece. After the negotiations led by the president had failed on 15 May, a temporary caretaker cabinet under Council of State president Panagiotis Pikrammenos was appointed on 16 May, and a new election was set for 17 June.

Contents

Procedure

Article 37 of the Greek constitution stipulates the procedure for attempts to form governments after a national legislative election. As the 2012 Greek legislative election resulted in no single party with a majority of parliament seats, the Greek constitution stipulates that the largest party in relative terms of the voting result, shall be given a chance to negotiate the formation of a government within three days. Failing that, the second largest party will get a chance within the next three days and if this attempt also fails the third biggest party will get a further three days to try and form a government. If neither of the three largest parties can succeed in forming a government, the baton will be handed over to the president for a last neutral attempt to form a government, where he will meet with all party leaders. If this attempt fails as well, a temporary caretaker government will be formed with the purpose of setting up a date for a new legislative election. [1] [2] [3]

If this attempt fails, then, according to article 37 paragraph 3 in the constitution of Greece, [1] the president will try to form a temporary caretaker government with all parties for the purpose of preparing for an election. If this fails yet again the President of the Supreme Administrative Court, the President of the Supreme Civil and Criminal Court or the President of the Court of Audit, will be called to form a temporary caretaker government with the widest available support in order to prepare for a new election. [4]

Negotiations by New Democracy

The day after the election, president Karolos Papoulias met with the leader of the largest party—New Democracy's (ND) leader Antonis Samaras—to task him with the first attempt to form a government. [5] The Democratic Left (DIMAR) declared that the party would not join a pro-bailout New Democracy-PASOK grand coalition government. Democratic Left leader Fotis Kouvelis said that his party would only "participate in a coalition government with other progressive forces," such as the other leftist anti-bailout parties SYRIZA and Communist Party of Greece (KKE). [6] SYRIZA's Alexis Tsipras refused to join in a coalition with ND saying that: "The campaign positions of Mr Samaras are at the opposite end of the alternative proposals of a left-wing government. There can be no government of national salvation, as Samaras has named it, because his signatures and commitments to the loan agreement do not constitute salvation but a tragedy for the people and the country." [7] Independent Greeks (ANEL) also refused to discuss joining a coalition with ND. For its part, ND said that it would be open to talks with any party except Golden Dawn (XA), with Samaras saying he would likely end his efforts the following day, ahead of the deadline. [5] KKE also refused to discuss the possibility of a government with ND. PASOK also said that it would consider joining a grand coalition only if other left-wing parties were in the government. At the end of the first day itself, ND's Samaras announced that he had failed in trying to form a "national salvation" government: "I did whatever I could to secure a result but it was impossible. I informed Papoulias and returned the mandate." [7]

Negotiations by SYRIZA

On 8 May, Tsipras was tasked by Papoulias to attempt forming a government [8] within the stipulated three days. Tsipras stated that "we will exhaust all possibilities to reach an understanding, primarily with the forces of the left" and that the election result was a "message of overthrow against the barbaric measures put forth by the EU-IMF loan agreement." [3] Tsipras said he wanted ND and PASOK to tell the EU in writing that they would not adhere to their pledge to maintain the austerity measures demanded before meeting them on 9 May saying that "the bailout parties no longer have a majority in parliament to vote for measures that plunder the country." ND's Antonis Samaras refused to do so and said that he would support a minority government if need be. [9] He also said Tsipras' demands could "lead to immediate internal collapse and international bankruptcy, with the inevitable exit from Europe."

The Independent Greeks' Panos Kammenos had also criticised Tsipras already one week ahead of the election day, saying that "there is not a sufficient majority to form an anti-memorandum front." [10] As he had calculated that SYRIZA's 52 MPs, Independent Greeks' 33 and Democratic Left's 19 did not add up to the minority of 120 seats needed, in view of the Communist Party's refusal. He also said that the discussion of "issues of national importance, including the Macedonia naming issue and illegal immigration, led to differences of opinion." [11] Tsipras then later said his attempts had failed and told his parliamentary group that "we cannot make true our dream of a left-wing government. Tomorrow, I shall hand back the mandate given to me by the president of the republic and we shall continue to take part in the constitutional processes." He had previously said the election "has clearly nullified the loan agreement and [pledges] sent to Europe and the IMF" (International Monetary Fund). [12]

At the same time the EU decided to continue with Greece's disbursements which mean sending US$5.4 billion on 10 May, but an additional US$1.29 billion was held back. As a result of the political imbroglio both PASOK and ND suggested the EU and IMF agreement could have to be re-evaluated. In response, Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn said that "we have to say to the Greek people right now that the situation is serious, that no European Union country will be able to release even a portion of the 130 billion euros for the Greeks, if there is no functioning government that respects the rules and manages the disbursed money." German Chancellor Angela Merkel added that "everyone must stick to the things we have agreed. Twenty-five countries have already...signed the fiscal pact," targeting Greece and France, who also had election at the same time. Germany's finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble also said that "if Greece wants to remain in the eurozone, there is no better solution than the path it has already taken. You can't have one [bailout funds from EU and IMF] without the other [austerity measures to limit the budget deficits]." [12] While Germany's foreign minister Guido Westerwelle finally added that "Germany would like to keep Greece in the eurozone, but whether Greece remains in the eurozone or not lies in its own hands." [10]

Negotiations by PASOK

The Greek newspaper Proto Thema claimed by the dawn of 9 May, that according to an anonymous source, PASOK leader Venizelos had decided he would not even accept the mandate to form a government, but instead straight away ask Papoulias to call a meeting of party leaders. [13] [14] Later the same day, however, after Tsipras announced that he had failed to form a government, [15] Venizelos stated that during the course of the day new unexplored opportunities had emerged, and thus he would now try to form a national unity government within the stipulated three-day period, comprising either: PASOK, New Democracy, SYRIZA and Democratic Left (DIMAR), or in the alternative: PASOK, SYRIZA, DIMAR and Independent Greeks (ANEL) if all parties in that formation agreed to pledge a guarantee on Greece's future course in the euro. [16]

After the first day with Venizelos negotiations, the meeting with DIMAR's Fotis Kouvelis was said to have though of forming a unity government with the purpose of keeping Greece within the European Union and eurozone, while respecting the outcome of the election in regards of also working for the gradual disengagement from the EU-IMF memorandum. According to Kouvelis, such a government should work out its mandate in the time frame until the European elections of 2014. [17] Venizelos stated that: "The discussion we had with Mr Kouvelis was very substantive. Mr Kouvelis set out a specific and responsible proposal. We are very close, it is virtually in line with our suggestion for the creation of a national unity government that seeks to move beyond the memorandum within three years." [17]

A meeting with New Democracy's Antonis Samaras and SYRIZA's Alexis Tsipras was scheduled for 11 May, in order to reveal if the new proposal of a "unity government" could reach a majority support. [17] Before the meetings, DIMAR clarified their support for a "unity government" was conditional, that SYRIZA would also accept to join such a government. [18] The first meeting with New Democracy was constructive, as they unconditionally were willing to participate in the proposed "unity government" with the overall aim "to keep Greece within the European Union and the euro, and to renegotiate the implementation terms of the outlined EU-IMF austerity program". [19] Later the same day, Venizelos met with SYRIZA to learn whether they were ready to join the proposed "unity government" as the fourth party. [18] As SYRIZA opted to turn down the propasal, Venizelos declared late on 11 May that all attempts to form a new government had been exhausted without any result, [20] and that he would now meet with President Karolos Papoulias on 12 May to return his mandate. Venizelos stated that he hoped for all party leaders to act in a more mature and responsible way, when the president invited them for a last meeting and final attempt to form a unity government. [21]

Negotiations by Papoulias

President Karolos Papoulias called all party leaders to a meeting on 13 May in a final attempt to form a national unity government. [22] After he had met with all represented parties over the course of the day, he decided to call for a second meeting the next day with the PASOK, ND and DIMAR. [23] Due to SYRIZA's refusal to participate in the government, DIMAR again stated a government without SYRIZA would not have the necessary popular support. [24] DIMAR leader Kouvelis also said that SYRIZA was inclined to want a new election due its expected improved performance; he added that Greece should also "disengage" from the terms of the EU-IMF deal. Ethnos echoed the words saying that "Syriza has opened the way to new elections and this time it will be a sort of referendum [on the bailout]." [25]

On 13 May, Papoulias claimed to have a letter from incumbent interim Prime Minister Lucas Papademos which asserts that the Ministry of Finance would only afford to pay salaries and pensions until the end of June and that Papademos had warned of the urgent need for Greek to recapitalise their liquid assets following large losses in a bond exchange programme that decreased almost a third of the Greek debt of 350 billion euros. [25] Though talks were scheduled to be held on 15 May, DIMAR executive board member Dimitris Hadzisokratis said that it would not join a government that is unrepresentative of "the majority of Greek society. The last thing Greece needs is another round of elections but that is what is going to happen. We have decided that we cannot participate in a government that does not reflect the majority will of Greek society. I say this with a heavy heart. We would have preferred otherwise." [26]

New election

The talks failed on 15 May, with an early election expected in June. [27] A caretaker cabinet under Council of State president Panagiotis Pikrammenos was appointed on 16 May, and the election date set for 17 June. [28]

At the same time, Papoulias was told by the head of the Bank of Greece George Provopoulos that local financial institutions were concerned about a bank run with the increased rate of withdrawal of euros, which were up to 700 million. [29]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PASOK</span> Greek political party

The Panhellenic Socialist Movement, known mostly by its acronym PASOK, is a social-democratic political party in Greece. Until 2012 it was one of the two major parties in the country, along with New Democracy, its main political rival. In the June 2023 Greek legislative election it once again held firm on to its position of one of the ”big three” political parties of Greece.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Democracy (Greece)</span> Greek centre-right political party

New Democracy is a liberal-conservative political party in Greece. In contemporary Greek politics, New Democracy has been the main centre-right to right-wing political party and one of the two major parties along with its historic rival, the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK). New Democracy and PASOK were created in the wake of the toppling of the military junta in 1974, ruling Greece in succession for the next four decades. Following the electoral decline of PASOK, New Democracy remained one of the two major parties in Greece, the other being the Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA). The party was founded in 1974 by Konstantinos Karamanlis and in the same year it formed the first cabinet of the Third Hellenic Republic. New Democracy is a member of the European People's Party, the largest European political party since 1999, the Centrist Democrat International, and the International Democracy Union.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karolos Papoulias</span> President of Greece from 2005 to 2015

Karolos Papoulias was a Greek politician who served as the president of Greece from 2005 to 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antonis Samaras</span> Prime Minister of Greece (2012–2015)

Antonis Samaras is a Greek politician who served as 14th Prime Minister of Greece from 2012 to 2015. A member of the New Democracy party, he was its president from 2009 until 2015. Samaras started his national political career as Minister of Finance in 1989; he served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1989 to 1992 and Minister of Culture in 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Syriza</span> Greek political party

The Coalition of the Radical Left – Progressive Alliance, best known by the syllabic abbreviation SYRIZA, is a centre-left to left-wing political party in Greece. It was founded in 2004 as a political coalition of left-wing and radical left parties, and registered as a political party in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Third Hellenic Republic</span> Current state of Greece, established after the fall of the Military Junta in 1974

The Third Hellenic Republic is the period in modern Greek history that stretches from 1974, with the fall of the Greek military junta and the final confirmation of the abolishment of the Greek monarchy, to the present day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Democratic Left (Greece)</span> Greek political party

Democratic Left was a social-democratic political party in Greece. Formed as a split from Synaspismós, DIMAR was a minor party supporting the Samaras cabinet from 21 June 2012 to 21 June 2013. After being a member of the Democratic Alignment (DISI) and the Movement for Change (KINAL), it affiliated to Syriza in 2019. The party was dissolved in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">May 2012 Greek legislative election</span>

Legislative elections were held in Greece on Sunday, 6 May 2012 to elect all 300 members to the Hellenic Parliament. It was scheduled to be held in late 2013, four years after the previous election; however, an early election was stipulated in the coalition agreement of November 2011 which formed the Papademos Cabinet. The coalition comprised both of Greece's traditional major political parties, PASOK on the left and New Democracy (ND) on the right, as well as the right-wing Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS). The aim of the coalition was to relieve the Greek government-debt crisis by ratifying and implementing decisions taken with other Eurozone countries and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) a month earlier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Independent Greeks</span> Political party in Greece

The Independent Greeks – National Patriotic Alliance is a national conservative political party in Greece.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">June 2012 Greek legislative election</span>

Legislative elections were held in Greece on Sunday, 17 June 2012, to elect all 300 members to the Hellenic Parliament in accordance with the constitution, after all attempts to form a new government failed following the May elections. If all attempts to form a new government fail, the constitution directs the president to dissolve a newly elected parliament, and then to call for new parliamentary elections within 30 days of the dissolution. The president announced at 16 May the date for the new election, and signed the formal decree to dissolve the parliament and call for the election at 19 May.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">January 2015 Greek legislative election</span>

Legislative elections were held in Greece on Sunday 25 January 2015 to elect all 300 members of the Hellenic Parliament in accordance with the constitution. The election was held earlier than scheduled due to the failure of the Greek parliament to elect a new president on 29 December 2014.

European Parliament elections were held in Greece on 25 May 2014 to elect the 21 Greek members of the European Parliament. The number of seats allocated to Greece declined from 22 to 21, as a result of the 2013 reapportionment of seats in the European Parliament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greek government-debt crisis timeline</span>

The Greek government-debt crisis began in 2009 and, as of November 2017, was still ongoing. During this period, many changes had occurred in Greece. The income of many Greeks has declined, levels of unemployment have increased, elections and resignations of politicians have altered the country's political landscape radically, the Greek parliament has passed many austerity bills, and protests have become common sights throughout the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Greek local elections</span> 2014 local elections

Local elections were held in Greece on 18 May 2014 and 25 May 2014. Voters elected representatives to the country's local authorities, comprising 13 regions and 325 municipalities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The River (Greece)</span> Greek political party

The River was a centrist and social-liberal political party in Greece. The party was founded in February 2014 by Stavros Theodorakis. The party did not run in the 2019 elections and had no seats in the Hellenic Parliament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014–2015 Greek presidential election</span>

Indirect presidential elections were held in Greece in December 2014 and February 2015 for the succession to Karolos Papoulias as President of the Hellenic Republic. The candidate of the ND–PASOK government, Stavros Dimas, failed to secure the required majority of MPs of the Hellenic Parliament in the first three rounds of voting in December. According to the provisions of the Constitution of Greece, a snap election was held on 25 January 2015, which was won by the left-wing Syriza party. Following the convening of the new Parliament, the presidential election resumed. On 18 February 2015, veteran ND politician Prokopis Pavlopoulos, backed by the Syriza-ANEL coalition government, was elected with 233 votes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PASOK – Movement for Change</span> Greek centre-left political alliance

The PASOK – Movement for Change is a political alliance in Greece, which was founded in March 2018, initially as "Movement for Change", mainly affiliated with the centre-left of the political spectrum. It includes the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) and Movement of Democratic Socialists (KIDISO).

Following the January 2015 Greek election, the leader of the largest party SYRIZA, Alexis Tsipras, was charged with forming a coalition government.

The First Shadow Cabinet of Alexis Tsipras was formed on 3 July 2012, following the June 2012 Greek legislative election. It consisted of only Syriza MPs, as they were the largest party to refuse to participate in the ND-PASOK-DIMAR coalition. The Shadow Cabinet was dissolved following the January 2015 Greek legislative election, and was replaced by a New Democracy shadow cabinet led by Antonis Samaras. Tsipras subsequently formed his First Cabinet on 27 January 2015, consisting of a coalition of both Syriza and the Independent Greeks.

Thanassis Theocharopoulos is an agricultural economist, Greek politician and chairman of the Democratic Left (DIMAR). In 2019 he served as Tourism Minister for Syriza.

References

  1. 1 2 "The official English language translation of the Greek Constitution as of 27 May 2008" (PDF). Hellenic Parliament. 27 May 2008. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
  2. "Greece exit polls suggest no majority win – Europe". Al Jazeera. 4 October 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
  3. 1 2 "Greece radical Leftist Syriza party to try to build anti-austerity cabinet". The Telegraph. 8 May 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  4. "Greek government talks in final stretch". Ekathimerini. 11 May 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  5. 1 2 Kyriakidou, Dina (3 May 2012). "Left gets historic chance to pull Greece out of limbo". Reuters. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
  6. "Exclusive: Greece's Democratic Left Refuses to Join Bailout Alliance". Reuters. 7 May 2012. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
  7. 1 2 "Leading Greek party fails to form government - Europe". Al Jazeera. 4 October 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
  8. "Greek election: Antonis Samaras coalition bid fails". BBC News. 7 May 2012. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
  9. Petrakis, Maria (8 May 2012). "Greek Pro-Bailout Leaders Told by Syriza to Revoke Aid Pledges". Bloomberg. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  10. 1 2 Daniel Howden (30 April 2012). "Greece's radical new leader Alexis Tsipras plots course to tear up bailout deal" . The Independent. Archived from the original on 12 May 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
  11. "Venizelos to try forming a gov't". ekathimerini.com. 9 May 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
  12. 1 2 "Greek far-left leader fails in coalition bid". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
  13. "Greek Syriza leader hands rivals ultimatum to renounce austerity". The Telegraph. 9 May 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
  14. "Greece's Venizelos won't accept government mandate, Proto Thema says". FXstreet.com. 9 May 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
  15. "What's up". Zougla. 9 May 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
  16. "Venizelos Says He'll Continue Efforts to Form Greek Government". Bloomberg. 9 May 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
  17. 1 2 3 "Greece closer to unity government after Venizelos, Kouvelis talks". Ekathimerini. 10 May 2012. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
  18. 1 2 "PASOK leader to meet Samaras, Tsipras". Ekathimerini. 11 May 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  19. "Samaras launches all out attack on SYRIZA". Ekathimerini. 11 May 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  20. Mark Lowen (6 April 2012). "Third Greek coalition bid fails". BBC News. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
  21. "Greece's Socialists Fail To Reach Deal on Coalition Government". The Wall Street Journal. 11 May 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
  22. "Greece bailout crisis: President seeks unity government". BBC News. 12 May 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
  23. "No agreement on ecumenical gov't reached, talks to continue Monday". Ekathimerini. 13 May 2012. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  24. Paul Mason (14 May 2012). "Greece's moderate left says no government possible". BBC News.
  25. 1 2 McManus, Bryan (15 May 2012). "Greek president calls for technocrat government". Athens. Agence France-Presse. Archived from the original on 24 May 2012. Retrieved 17 May 2012.
  26. Helena Smith in Athens (25 September 2009). "Greece to hold more coalition talks". The Guardian.
  27. Alderman, Liz; Donadio, Rachel (16 May 2012), "Greek President Is Expected to Name Caretaker Government Ahead of Vote", The New York Times, Athens, retrieved 17 May 2012
  28. Richard Galpin (10 May 2012). "BBC News Greece to hold new election on 17 June". BBC News.
  29. Weeks, Natalie (16 May 2012). "Greek President Told Banks Anxious as Deposits Pulled". Bloomberg.