Greeks are one breath away from …hearing the date of the snap polls. Speaker of Greek Parliament Philippos Petsalnikos said on Tuesday afternoon that the Parliament concluded its legislative work, allegedly due to Easter Holidays (Greek Orthodox Easter on 15. April 2012). However he also took the floor to speak about “the most difficult parliament period of the last 2,5 years”. Making a short review of his service as Parliament Speaker, Petsalnikos said that when he took the oath in 2009, the Parliament had five political parties and five parliament groups. Now he ‘delivers’ the Parliament with nine political parties and seven parliamentary groups, adding that at one point the number of independent MP reached 92.
Petsalnikos’ short speech has been understood as a signal to dissolve the Parliament -most probably tomorrow Wednesday – due to early elections even though the date has not been officially announced yet.
Skai TV reported that Prime Minister Loucas Papademos is due to hold a meeting with the President of the Hellenic Republic Karolos Papoulias on Wednesday afternoon and announce the date of the early elections. The last cabinet meeting is to take place tomorrow, too.
Nea Dimokratia leader, Antonis Samaras, told Mega TV on Monday night, that the elections are scheduled for May 6th, 2012.
Should elections take place on May 6th, the Parliament will open on May 17th with new parties, new deputies and new challenges…
Latest Poll – 9.April 2012 – Mega TV
According to the latest public opinion survey eight parties would enter the next parliament: Conservative Nea Dimokratia get 18.2%, socialist PASOK 14.2%, Communist KKE 8%, Independent Greeks 7%, left SYRIZA 6.2%, Democratic Left 5.9%, far-right LAOS 4%, extreme-right Chrysi Aygi 3.1%.
While the majority of respondents favor Nea Dimokratia, 24.3% consider ex Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos(PASOK leader) as the most suitable PM and 23.8% Antonis Samaras (ND leader).
63.3% want a coalition government , while 28.1% wants one-party government.
An overwhelming majority, 84.9%, declare that they will go to cast votes, while 13% say they will abstain from the elections.
Speaking to Mega TV, Antonis Samaras said that the next prime minister will the the leader of the first party to win the elections and added that new elections would take place, should there be difficulties to form a government.
PS We love short elections campaign times. Why should parties bother to print leaflets when it lasts only 3 weeks?
We are less than 4 weeks before parliamentary elections. We don’t know yet who will run and where and for whom. We don’t know any program of any party. We will, presumably, know all this before the elections due to the 30 million we were forced yesterday to pay to the parties to safe democracy as we know it. Parliament will close from tomorrow until May 6 to… yes, why? To allow the 300 to go into the country and talk to the voters? I am afraid there are not enough eggs and yogurt in this country for that. And then, if elections are held on May 6, it will take around 11 days for the newly elected 300 to get back to Athens. Why 11 days? Are they deprived of their courtesy cars and now have to swim, row or ride on their donkeys???
So on May 17 the New Parliament will reconvene.
Let’s see. In the middle of the biggest crises this country has seen in at least a generation, parliament will close down for 37 days. And, as it is custom here, the civil service will de facto shut down for at least the same period of time. Who cares that all these measures that parliament just voted through have to be implemented asap? Who cares about those 7.2 billion euro of uncollected tax fines? Who cares about our future? Who cares! It’s Easter and after that time for a nice long vacation… Loutraki was already very full and busy today, I saw. And I read that Ermioni is almost booked fully around Easter. Ipargoun lepta kai ipargei perissoteros xronos, nomizo. For some.