General election in Greece June 2012

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Result (in%)

 %

30th

20th

10

0

29.66

26.89

12.28

7.51

6.92

6.25

4.50

5.98

ND

SYRIZA

PASOK

ANEL

XA

DIMAR

KKE

Otherwise.

Gains and losses

compared to May 2012

 % p

 12

 10

   8th

   6th

   4th

   2

   0

  -2

  -4

  -6

  -8th

-10

-12

-14

+10.81

+10.10

-0.90

-3.11

-0.05

+0.14

-3.98

-13.01

ND

SYRIZA

PASOK

ANEL

XA

DIMAR

KKE

Otherwise.

Distribution of seats

       

A total of 300 seats

• KKE : 12
• SYRIZA : 71
• DIMAR : 17
• PASOK : 33
• ND : 129
• ANEL : 20
• XA : 18

The parliamentary elections in Greece in June 2012 took place on June 17, 2012, just six weeks after the May 6, 2012 election , which did not result in a governable majority. As the strongest party, the conservative Nea Dimokratia (ND) emerged from the election with a narrow lead over the left-wing socialist SYRIZA .

After the ND had reached an agreement with the social democratic PASOK and the Democratic Left (DIMAR) on the formation of a government ( Samaras cabinet ), Andonis Samaras , chairman of the Nea Dimokratia, was sworn in as Greek Prime Minister on June 20, 2012 .

prehistory

The early elections on May 6, 2012 , a consequence of the shocks in Greece caused by the Greek financial crisis , changed the political landscape in Greece significantly: Out of disappointment or bitterness about the austerity policy and the recession , many voters turned away from the two formerly large parties ( Nea Dimokratia and PASOK had alternated in the government of the country since the end of the Greek military dictatorship in July 1974 and most recently carried the transitional government of Loukas Papadimos ). The two parties lost so much votes that they could no longer form a government majority together. SYRIZA , a coalition of radical leftists and party since May 22, 2012, surprisingly became the second largest party. The racist and neo-Nazi Chrysi Avgi also entered parliament for the first time ; also the right-wing populist Anexartiti Ellines, founded on February 24, 2012, and the left-wing Dimokratiki Aristera .

With these majorities, no government was formed. The chairmen of the closely spaced three parties with the greatest number of votes, who were successively charged with forming a government, immediately returned their mandate, with Andonis Samaras in particular expressing no interest in a coalition despite the theoretical possibility.

The attempt by President Karolos Papoulias to bring them together to form a government with a sufficient majority also failed. Ultimately, the main reason for the failure was SYRIZA's refusal to participate in a coalition that continued the austerity course. SYRIZA chairman Alexis Tsipras stated that the Greek people had the agreements with the EU, IMF and ECB on a haircut based on the EU resolutions of October 26, 2011 and its requirements, in which austerity and reform measures had been accepted as a condition for financial aid , declared null and void .

After all attempts to form a government failed on May 15, 2012, according to Article 37 of the Constitution of Greece , the President had to appoint one of the highest judges as a transitional premier, dissolve parliament and call new elections. Papoulias therefore appointed Panagiotis Pikrammenos as Prime Minister on May 16, 2012 (ΦΕΚ A 121/2012) ; by decree of May 19, 2012 (ΦΕΚ A 125/2012), he dissolved the just elected parliament and decided on new elections on June 17, 2012.

Influencing

Before the election, numerous foreign European politicians warned that a termination of the agreements with the EU, ECB and IMF, as announced above all by the left-wing Syriza party in the event of their election victory, would put the country's remaining in the euro zone into question. Alexis Tsipras, the SYRIZA party leader, rejected this as an attempt to meddle.

Opinion polls before the election

According to polls, the left party Syriza had the prospect of further increasing votes. In some polls it was ahead of the New Democracy; Fluctuations in the opinion or voting intentions of voters were evident:

Survey institute	date	Parties
		ND	SYRIZA	PASOK	ANEL	KKE	XA	DIMAR
Metron Analysis	05/12/2012	21.7	25.5	14.6	-	-	-	-
Kappa Research	05/12/2012	18.1	20.5	12.2	-	-	-	-
Public Issue	05/25/2012	26.0	30.0	15.5	7.0	5.0	4.0	6.5
Kappa Research	05/26/2012	25.8	20.1	13.0	-	-	-	-
VPRC	05/26/2012	26.0	28.5	12.5	7.0	5.0	5.5	7.0
Public Agency	05/26/2012	16.0	30.0	15.5	8.0	5.0	4.0	6.5
Alco	05/26/2012	25.6	22.9	14.0	-	-	-	-
Marc	05/26/2012	25.2	23.2	12.6	-	-	-	-
MRB	05/26/2012	23.3	23.2	13.8	-	-	-	-
GPO	05/30/2012	23.4	22.1	13.5	7.4	5.9	4.2	5.1
Public Issue	06/01/2012	25.0	31.5	13.5	5.5	5.5	4.5	7.5

In a survey on May 12, 2012, 78 percent of those questioned were in favor of remaining in the euro zone.

Electoral system

300 MPs were elected.

The selection is based on a substantially from the proportional representation dominated electoral system . 288 of the 300 seats were elected in 56 constituencies, with the number of mandates awarded per constituency differing depending on the size of the population in the individual constituencies; the largest constituency, Athens-B, with 1.4 million eligible voters, had 42 seats. The election took place via party lists . Voters could tick the candidates they preferred within the constituency list of the party they had elected. Only one mandate was awarded in eight small constituencies; this received the candidate with the most votes, so that the electoral system also contained elements of the majority vote . Twelve mandates were awarded on the basis of a nationwide list using proportional representation.

One party had to overcome a 3 percent hurdle due to a threshold clause in order to be able to enter parliament.

The distribution of seats was such that the party that received the most votes received 50 additional seats as a bonus. Electoral alliances had practically no prospect of this bonus, as their share of the vote was divided by the number of parties in them to determine the strongest party. The remaining seats were distributed proportionally among all parties that overcame the 3 percent threshold. This promoted the formation of majorities capable of governing.

All Greek citizens over the age of 18 were eligible to vote, a total of 9.85 million voters. In Greece voting was nominally compulsory ; Failure to vote was not sanctioned. The proportion of non-voters rose to 37.5%; it had already risen in previous elections.

The newly elected parliament met on June 28, 2012.

Parties

→ Main article : List of political parties in Greece

The election of May 6, 2012, which was marked by disappointment with the established parties and protests against the austerity policy , had largely split the party landscape. In total, 19% of the votes cast went to parties that failed to pass the three percent threshold.

Before the new election on June 17, 2012, efforts were therefore made to bundle the potential of the voters. Examples:

• the conservative-liberal Dimokratiki Symmachia by Dora Bakogianni supported the Nea Dimokratia.
• The two small liberal parties, Dimiourgia Xana and Drasi , who failed to pass the three percent hurdle , formed an electoral alliance.
• The Kinoniki Symfonia by Louka Katseli supported SYRIZA.

The left-wing alliance SYRIZA, previously an electoral alliance, was founded as a new party in order to be able to enjoy the 50-seat bonus in the event of an election victory.

The Supreme Court had allowed 21 parties and electoral alliances as well as a list of individual applicants for election:

Parties
No.	logo		Surname	Alignment	Top candidate
1.			Nea Dimokratia (ND) Νέα Δημοκρατία (ΝΔ) New Democracy / New Republic	conservative		Andonis Samaras
2.			SYRIZA - Enotiko Kinoniko Metopo (SYRIZA-EKM) ΣΥΡΙΖΑ - Ενωτικό Κοινωνικό Μέτωπο (ΣΥΡΙΖΑ-EKM) SYRIZA - United Social Front	left socialist		Alexis Tsipras
3.			Panellinio Sosialistiko Kinima (PASOK) Πανελλήνιο Σοσιαλιστικό Κίνημα (ΠΑΣΟΚ) Panhellenic Socialist Movement	social democratic		Evangelos Venizelos
4th			Independent Greeks (ANEL) Ανεξάρτητοι Έλληνες (ΑΝΕΛ) Independent Greeks	right-wing populist		Panos Kammenos
5.			Kommounistiko Komma Elladas (KKE) Κομμουνιστικό Κόμμα Ελλάδας (KKE) Communist Party of Greece	Communist		Aleka Papariga
6th			Chrysi Avgi (XA) Χρυσή Αυγή (XA) Golden dawn	neo-Nazi		Nikolaos Michaloliakos
7th			Dimokratiki Aristera (DIMAR) Δημοκρατική Αριστερά (ΔΗΜΑΡ) Democratic Left	Left		Fotis Kouvelis
8th.			Anexartiti Ananeotiki Aristera, Ananeotiki Dexia, Ananeotiki PASOK, Ananeotiki Nea Dimokratía, Ochi sto Polemo, Komma Epichirisi Charizo Ikopeda, Chrizo Chrei, Sozo Zoes, Panagrotiko Ergatiko Kinima Ellados (PAEKE) Ανεξάρτητη Ανανεωτική Αριστερά, Ανανεωτική Δεξιά, Ανανεωτικό ΠΑΣΟΚ, Ανανεωτική Νέα Δημοκρατία, Όχι στον Πόλεμο, Κόμμα Επιχείρηση Χαρίζω Οικόπεδα, Χαρίζω Χρέη, Σώζω Ζωές, Παναγροτικό Εργατικό Κίνημα Ελλάδος (ΠΑΕΚΕ) Independent retreaded Linke, retreaded rights, renewed PASOK, retreaded Nea Dimokratia, No to war, party company I'm giving away land, I'm giving away debts, I'm saving lives, Agricultural labor movement			Miltiadis Tzalazidis
9.			Antikapitalistiki Aristeri Synergasia gia tin Anatropi (ANTARSYA) Αντικαπιταλιστική Αριστερή Συνεργασία για την Ανατροπή (ΑΝΤΑΡΣΥΑ) Anti-capitalist left collaboration for the revolution	Communist
10.			Kinima Ethnikis Andistasis (KEAN) Κίνημα Εθνικής Αντίστασης (KEAN) National resistance movement	right-wing populist		Ippokratis savvouras
11.			Kinonia Politiki Parataxi synechiston Kapodistria Κοινωνία Πολιτική Παράταξη συνεχιστών Καποδίστρια Society and political group of the successors of Kapodistrias			Michalis Eliadis
12.			Kinima Den Plirono Κίνημα Δεν Πληρώνω Movement "I'm not paying "	Protest party		Vasilis Papadopoulos
13.			Enosis Kentroon Ένωσης Κεντρώων Center Union	center		Vasilis Levendis
14th			Panathinaiko Kinima (PANKI) Παναθηναϊκό Κίνημα (ΠΑΝΚ) Panathenaic movement			Giorgios Betsikas
15th			Comma Fileleftheron Κόμμα Φιλελευθέρων Liberal Party	liberal		Emmanouil Kalligiannis
16.			Comma Piraton Elladas Κόμμα Πειρατών Ελλάδας Pirate Party of Greece	Pirate party		Ioannis Panagopoulos
17th			Ikologi Prasini Οικολόγοι Πράσινοι Ecologists / Greens	green		Ioanna Kontouli
18th			Ethniki Elpida Εθνική Ελπίδα National hope			Giorgos Papadopoulos
19th			Laikos Orthodoxos Synagermos (LAOS) Λαϊκός Ορθόδοξος Συναγερμός (ΛΑΟΣ) Ethnic Orthodox alarm	nationalist		Georgios Karatzaferis
20th			Dimiourgia Xana Δημιουργία, Ξανά Re-creation	liberal		Thanos Tzimeros
21st			Kommunistiko Komma Elladas (marxistiko-leninistiko) (ML KKE) Κομμουνιστικό Κόμμα Ελλάδας (μαρξιστικό-λενινιστικό) (ΜΛ ΚΚΕ) Communist Party of Greece (Marxist-Leninists)	Maoist
22nd			Memonomeni Μεμωνομένοι list of individual applicants	Individual applicants		Athanasios Daskalopoulos

Election result

Winners by prefectures:

Nea Dimokratia

SYRIZA - Enotiko Kinoniko Metopo

Result of the general election in Greece in June 2012

Political party		be right			Seats
		number	%	+/-	number	+/-
	New Democracy (ND)	1,825,497	29.66	+10.81	129	+21
	SYRIZA - Enotiko Kinoniko Metopo (SYRIZA-EKM)	1,655,022	26.89	+10.10	71	+19
	Panellinio Sosialistiko Kinima (PASOK)	756.024	12.28	−0.90	33	−8
	Anexartiti Ellines (ANEL)	462.406	7.51	−3.11	20th	−13
	Chrysi Avgi (XA)	426.025	6.92	−0.05	18th	−3
	Dimokratiki Aristera (DIMAR)	384,986	6.25	+0.14	17th	−2
	Kommounistiko Komma Elladas (KKE)	277.227	4.50	−3.98	12	−14
	Dimiourgia Xana *	98.140	1.59	−0.56	0	± 0
	Laikos Orthodoxos Synagermos (LAOS)	97.099	1.58	−1.31	0	± 0
	Ikologi Prasini	54,408	0.88	−2.05	0	± 0
	Kinima den Plirono	23,699	0.39	−0.49	0	± 0
	Antikapitalistiki Aristeri Synergasia gia tin Anatropi (ANTARSYA)	20,416	0.33	−0.86	0	± 0
	Koinonia Politiki Parataxi synechiston Kapodistria	17,770	0.29	−0.16	0	± 0
	Enosis Kentroon (EK)	17,145	0.28	−0.33	0	± 0
	Comma Piraton Elladas (KPE)	14,170	0.23	−0.28	0	± 0
	Panathinaiko Kinima (PANKI)	12,459	0.20	New	0	New
	Kommunistiko Komma Elladas (marxistiko-leninistiko) (ML KKE)	7,592	0.12	−0.13	0	± 0
	Ethniki Elpida (EE)	4,290	0.07	New	0	New
	Comma Fileleftheron	623	0.01	−0.05	0	± 0
	Anexartiti Ypopsfii	385	0.00	−0.05	0	± 0
	Kinima Ethnikis Andistasis (KEAN)	81	0.00	± 0.00	0	± 0
	Agricultural Labor Movement (PAEKE)	0	0.00	± 0.00	0	± 0
	Independent	0	0.00	± 0.00	0	± 0
total		6,155,464	100.00		300
Valid votes		6,155,464	99.01	+1.37
Invalid votes		35,961	0.58	−1.19
Blank ballot papers		25,373	0.41	−0.18
voter turnout		6,216,798	62.49	−2.63
Non-voters		3,731,078	37.51	+2.63
Registered voters		9,947,876
Source: Greek Ministry of the Interior

* with candidates from Drasi and Fileleftheri Symmachia

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Official result of the parliamentary election June 2012 Greek Ministry of the Interior (Greek, English)
2. ^ Crisis in Athens: Failure to form a government - new elections in Greece . In: Spiegel Online . May 15, 2012
3. ^ FAZ.net: Three-party coalition: Samaras sworn in as Greek Prime Minister , June 20, 2012 (accessed on the same day).
4. ^ Failed formation of a government: Greek tragedy, third act . In: Spiegel Online . May 11, 2012
5. ^ Coalition negotiations: Formation of government in Greece failed again . In: The time . May 11, 2012
6. ↑ ekathimerini.com from May 19, 2012
7. ↑ Spiegel from May 19, 2012: "Euro finance ministers threaten Greece with expulsion from the monetary union"
8. ↑ T-online.de of May 19, 2012: "Economist Franz warns Greeks against leaving the euro"
9. ↑ Focus from June 3, 2012: "Westerwelle warns Greeks against populists"
10. ↑ Focus of June 9th, 2012: Schäuble warns Greeks "There is no easy way"
11. ↑ ARD from June 14, 2012: "Hollande warns Greeks against no to austerity"
12. ↑ Welt from June 15, 2012: "Brüderle threatens Greeks with expulsion from the euro"
13. ↑ Reuters of June 16, 2012: "Juncker warns Greeks against leaving the euro"
14. ↑ N-TV of June 17, 2012: "EU politicians warn Greeks"
15. ↑ of June 17, 2012: "CSU openly threatens Greece with euro expulsion"
16. ↑ Die Presse of May 22, 2012: "Greek Left Party Syriza warns Chancellor Merkel"
17. ↑ Greece's anti-bailout leftists lead in polls . In: Reuters . May 12, 2012
18. ↑ ^{a b} survey 78 percent of Greeks want to keep euros . In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung . May 12, 2012
19. ↑ Greek General Elections of June 17 2012, Public Issue
20. ↑ ^{a b c d} Kathimerini from May 27, 2012: “Four opinion polls give New Democracy narrow lead over SYRIZA” ( Memento of the original from May 30, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
21. ↑ ^{a b} GRreporter of May 26, 2012: “According to two opinion polls SYRIZA will win the election”
22. ↑ Athens news of May 30, 2012. "Another poll puts ND in the lead" ( Memento of the original of June 2, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
23. ↑ Greek General Elections of June 17 2012, Public Issue
24. ↑ Article aa sentence 2 of the law of February 1, 2008 (Greek)
25. ↑ IFES Election Guide: Election Profile for Greece
26. ↑ Voting underway across the country ( Memento of the original from June 14, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The  archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . In: Athens News . May 6, 2012
27. ^ Ta Nea, May 19, 2012 (Greek)
28. ↑ Article ( Memento of the original from June 1, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. on Protothema.gr from May 30, 2012 
29. ↑ Decision of the Supreme Court Arios Pagos No. 74/2012 of June 2, 2012 (Greek) ( Memento of the original of June 17, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 5.7 MB)