Greece items of interest pertaining to the May 6th election

http://www.athensnews.gr/portal/8/54959

Coalition government best solution for Greece, poll shows

13 Apr 2012

Greece's two major political parties are still struggling to make up for lost ground, while a coalition government seems to be what most people believe to be the best suited solution for the country, a poll has shown. (file photo) The popularity of the two major political parties in Greece combined is just over 33 percent, according to an opinion poll conducted by MRB polling company published in Real News daily on Friday.   New Democracy (ND) is preferred by 20.5 percent of the respondents, Pasok gets 12.7 percent, Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) 8.6 percent, Communist party (KKE) 7.9 percent, Independent Greeks 7.1 percent, Democratic Left (DIM.AR) 7 percent, Golden Dawn (Chryssi Avgi) 3.9 percent, Ecologists-Greens 2.9 percent, Popular Orthodox Rally (Laos) 2.5 percent and Democratic Alliance 2.4 percent.   A total of 50.6 percent of the respondents believed that New Democracy will most likely to be the winner of the elections, compared to Pasok’s 4 percent, while 26.7 percent said that no party will get enough votes to be the winner of the elections.   As for the political leaders’ popularity, Fotis Kouvelis is in first place followed by Lucas Papademos, Panos Kammenos, Alexis Tsipras, Antonis Samaras, Yannis Dimaras, Evangelos Venizelos, Aleka Papariga, Dora Bakoyannis, Yiorgos Karatzaferis, Louka Katseli, Nikos Mihaloliakos and Haris Kastanidis.   Regarding the most suited for prime minister, 52.4 percent of the respondents rejected both New Democracy leader Samaras and Pasok’s Venizelos, while 22.9 percent preferred Samaras and 20.9 percent Venizelos. A coalition government is supported by 65.7 percent of the respondents, while 32.7 percent believe that no political party can be effective by itself in case a majority government is elected. (AMNA) and..... http://www.athensnews.gr/portal/8/54951 Samaras still after a second round of elections 12 Apr 2012 Antonis Samaras, head of the New Democracy party has repeated his position that he will go after a second round of elections if a majority government does not come forth after the elections of May 6. (file photo) New Democracy (ND) leader Antonis Samaras on Thursday repeated his position in favour of a majority government, stressing that a second round of voting will be unavoidable if an absence of a majority government comes out the first round of the parliamentary elections of May 6.   In an interview published in “Axia” newspaper, the ND leader underlined that it “is blackmail to force a political party that has won the elections to govern together with those who have lost”.   Samaras wondered what would happen if “we started together and then the party of Pasok forced its leader Evangelos Venizelos to withdraw his support”.   “This would have caused a prolonged absence of government and that is what I am trying to avoid,” he stressed.   Samaras pledged that he will not impose unfair taxes and that private property will not be the target of new tough measures.   He said that he will take measures aimed at helping the over-indebted households ensuring that their monthly payments towards their debt will not exceed 30 percent of their monthly income. Referring to the arrest of former PASOK minister Akis Tsochadzopoulos, the ND leader said that he has confidence in the country’s justice system, adding that the property assets of politicians who are convicted of stealing should be confiscated.   He pledged a “zero tolerance” approach to crime and underlined that the unregistered migrants’ issue will have to be resolved immediately. (AMNA) and..... http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_11252_14/04/2012_437794 Dimas emerges as a possible coalition PM The name of the current Foreign Minister, Stavros Dimas, the New Democracy vice-president, is mentioned by some sources as a possible compromise candidate for the premiership given that the snap election on May 6 is likely to produce a hung parliament. The pulverization of the party political scene in Greece is raising concerns ahead of what appears to be the most crucial general election of the last few decades. The challenges for the period straight after the polls are considerable as they include the implementation of the loan agreement that provides for painful measures and reforms and demands for a strong and stable government. All opinion polls point to the likelihood of an absence of absolute majority for any party, leading to early discussions about a possible coalition government, although leading party New Democracy will keep pushing for an absolute majority until the end. Its leader, Antonis Samaras has made it clear that the new Prime Minister will have to be the head of the party to come first in the election. However, the ND lead over PASOK in the opinion polls is such that may well allow the Socialists after the election to veto a person that it is not comfortable with and force the search for a personality with a universal appeal. Given that outgoing Prime Minister Lucas Papademos has signalled he is not interested in staying on after the election, the option of former European Commissioner Stavros Dimas is gaining ground. The Foreign Minister has kept out of the party political clash and will not be a candidate in the elections, thereby making it easier for other parties to accept him as the new Premier, Kathimerini understands. and... http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_14/04/2012_437790 ECB worries about election outcome European Central Bank Governing Council member Ewald Nowotny said that he sees risk for the European debt crisis in the Greek elections, according to an interview with Vorarlberger Nachrichten on Saturday. “I see risks in the political area,” Nowotny, who also heads Austria’s central bank, told the paper. “Elections are due in early May and I’m not sure that there will be a majority that continues the current economic program.” Italy and Spain have carried out reforms and now have to be given time, Nowotny also said, adding that the situation in Portugal and Ireland has improved. “The biggest risk is Greece,” he told the paper. Nowotny also said that he sees the announced review of 110 European banks by Moody’s Investors Service as potentially “unsettling” Europe, according to the report.