As the 25 January Legislative Election is approaching, I decided to interview a couple of fellow Hellenes on their opinion on the Greek elections. I was hoping for live interviews but unfortunately all declined and prefered that they remain anonymous for personal and political reasons. On 29 December 2014, after failing to elect a presidential candidate in the third round of voting with the required 180 votes,prime minister Samaras asked incumbent president Karolos Papoulias to dissolve the parliament. On 31 December, Papoulias formally dissolved the parliament by decree and set the new election to be held on 25 January and the new parliament to reconvene on 5 February 2015.
Here in South Africa many Hellenes are experiencing a sense of Fear but Excitement as well, on these coming elections. *Advocate Tyr*(His name has been abbreviated)had this to say on the current polls. Please take note that this is an opinionated but factual disclosure of current events!
"A clutch of recent polls have given Syriza a lead of over 3 percentage points, suggesting that Prime Minister Antonis Samaras's New Democracy conservatives are not making any inroads as the election approaches.
The vote is being closely watched by financial markets nervous that a Syriza victory could trigger a standoff with EU/IMF lenders that results in Greece leaving the euro zone. The party has vowed to cancel austerity measures imposed to meet the conditions of Greece's 240-billion-euro bailout, and to renegotiate debt obligations.Samaras has played up the fear factor in his campaign speeches, saying Greeks could return to near-bankruptcy and a period of chaos if Syriza comes to power."They are leading us to a clash with our lenders, to bankruptcy, to an exit from the euro," Samaras said in a speech on Tuesday night.
Tsipras, who has campaigned on a message of new hope for Greeks broken by years of austerity, has in turn accused Samaras of scaremongering."The only thing they haven't said yet is that if Syriza comes to power it will take your children and your wives," he said in a recent speech to supporters in northern Greece. Opinion polls so far have indicated that Syriza is unlikely to win outright, but some have suggested it is getting closer to that goal.The newly created centrist party To Potami (River) - the most likely ally for Syriza in a coalition government, according to analysts - ranked third in the Alco survey with 5.3 percent. It was followed by the far-right Golden Dawn , with 5.2 percent, and the Communist KKE after that.Support for the co-ruling Socialists (PASOK) dropped to 3.7 percent.A party set up by former prime minister George Papandreou, the Movement of Democratic Socialists, scored 2.5 percent, below the threshold to enter parliament."
'*Advocate Tyr* concluded by saying that he thinks in the next couple of days more surprises will unfold and he hopes the Greeks go to the Polls making wise decisions…..Greece's placement within the European Union is of the utmost importance!'
*Mr VS* (Financial Advisor) had this to say:
"The key question here, is whether the election will reignite the Euro Crisis, producing recession over there and some level of financial instability and slower growth worldwide. Some predict this, but it seems quite unlikely, although it cannot be ruled out. There are two routes by which it could happen. First, a Syriza victory and dramatic breakdown of negotiations with the Troika could, with serious mismanagement on both sides, lead Greece to fall out of the Euro. Second, a new Syriza government might instead “win” the negotiations with Europe and, either as a result or by coincidence, experience a strong economic recovery. This outcome could sharply bolster other non-establishment parties across the troubled “periphery” of Europe and lead to a breaking of the already stressed consensus that has held the Eurozone together thus far. Strongly increased tensions could lead to a renewal of the sovereign debt crisis, with potentially very negative outcomes economically and politically. Withdrawal from the Euro would be much more serious, because it would set a precedent that might be used by other countries in the future. However, none of the other Eurozone members seem at all inclined to follow Greece anytime soon if it exited. That fact would reduce financial market pressures in Europe resulting from a Greek action. Even in Greece, Syriza does not want to withdraw from the Euro and polls show almost three quarters of voters believe Greece should stay in the Euro, even if it entails significant sacrifice. If Greece exits, it will almost certainly be a policy accident resulting from major misjudgments by both Greece and its European partners. It is very unlikely that either side would allow it to reach that point, and this to me is a good sign whatever commences on the 25th."
Well there you have it. The Election is upon us and it seems quite clear that... what will be will be.! Hopefully, whoever heads government will also have a good head on his shoulders to put Greece, it's People and it's Economy first. So, my fellow Hellenes…vote wisely!
ΓΙΑ ΤΟ ΣΕΛΛΑ ΜΕΣΣΗΝΙΑΣ BLOG NEWS-NEMΕSIS.. By Efh Kanavou from South Africa
( ΚΑΘΗΓΗΤΡΙΑ ΣΤO JOHANNESBURG
SOUTH AFRICA)
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