Percorso:ANSA > Nuova Europa > News > Greece, Tsipras triumphs, "Troika is over, austerity failed"
Greece, Tsipras triumphs, "Troika is over, austerity failed"
But Syriza does not have absolute majority, neo-Nazis third
26 January, 11:38
(by Patrizio Nissirio)
(ANSA) - ATHENS - It is a victory that feels historic: Alexis
Tsipras and his anti-austerity left-wing party Syriza have
triumphed in key political elections in Greece, falling just
short of an outright majority of seats. With 99.81% of votes
counted, the party has obtained 36.34% and 149 seats. The vote
could have the impact of an earthquake on EU economic policies
and even on the entire European path over the coming years.
''Hope has won'', wrote Syriza on its Twitter account, changing its pre-election slogan ''Hope is arriving''. Late last night, facing a delirious crowd, a beaming and determined Tsipras used all the words of his winning electoral, celebrating the collective victory of Greeks. ''Citizens of Athens, Greece has turned a new page. Today the Greek people have made history.
Let's make the sun shine over Greece again''. ''Today we close the vicious circle of austerity. Hope, dignity, optimism have returned'', he continued, thanking delegations from all over Europe that had come to support Greeks, including a large one from Italy. ''This is unprecedented''. ''The Greeks have shown the road for change to Europe, a new Europe based on solidarity: the troika is a thing of the past. The vote against austerity has been loud and clear''. The new Greek government, he assured nevertheless, will negotiate ''a just and advantageous solution for all sides'', ready ''to cooperate with all the European friends'' to make ''Europe return to stability and growth''.
''But tomorrow will be the day of diligence. Tonight is the time to celebrate''. Austerity policies promoted by the government of Premier Antonis Samaras, with the support of Pasok of Evangelos Venizelos, have been shattered by the vote after they impoverished Greece more than creating employment and growth.
Both parties were crushed by the election, which has cast a shadow over their political future. Well behind Syriza, which totalled 149 seats and 36.34% of the vote (as many as 10 points more than in previous political elections in 2012), Nea Dimokratia only garnered 27.7% of the vote and 75 seats. Golden Dawn ranked third with 6.28% (17 seats). Potami (center-left) obtained 6.05% (17). The Communists of Kke won 15 seats, Independent Greeks (center-right) got 4.75% and 13 seats and Pasok (Socialists) 4.68% (13 seats). Along with a low turnout - almost 40% did not head to the polls - the vote was also marked by another strong and worrying signal: the xenophobic Golden Dawn party, which is openly pro-Nazi, conquered enough votes to become the third-largest party in the country although all its leaders are currently in jail (where they voted) after being shaken by investigations for setting up a criminal organization.
If a coalition became necessary, and Syriza and Nea Demokratia failed, the ball would fall into Nikos Michaloliakos' court. He is still detained. President Karolos Papoulias in that case would give him a mandate over the phone, according to well-informed sources. (ANSA).
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''Hope has won'', wrote Syriza on its Twitter account, changing its pre-election slogan ''Hope is arriving''. Late last night, facing a delirious crowd, a beaming and determined Tsipras used all the words of his winning electoral, celebrating the collective victory of Greeks. ''Citizens of Athens, Greece has turned a new page. Today the Greek people have made history.
Let's make the sun shine over Greece again''. ''Today we close the vicious circle of austerity. Hope, dignity, optimism have returned'', he continued, thanking delegations from all over Europe that had come to support Greeks, including a large one from Italy. ''This is unprecedented''. ''The Greeks have shown the road for change to Europe, a new Europe based on solidarity: the troika is a thing of the past. The vote against austerity has been loud and clear''. The new Greek government, he assured nevertheless, will negotiate ''a just and advantageous solution for all sides'', ready ''to cooperate with all the European friends'' to make ''Europe return to stability and growth''.
''But tomorrow will be the day of diligence. Tonight is the time to celebrate''. Austerity policies promoted by the government of Premier Antonis Samaras, with the support of Pasok of Evangelos Venizelos, have been shattered by the vote after they impoverished Greece more than creating employment and growth.
Both parties were crushed by the election, which has cast a shadow over their political future. Well behind Syriza, which totalled 149 seats and 36.34% of the vote (as many as 10 points more than in previous political elections in 2012), Nea Dimokratia only garnered 27.7% of the vote and 75 seats. Golden Dawn ranked third with 6.28% (17 seats). Potami (center-left) obtained 6.05% (17). The Communists of Kke won 15 seats, Independent Greeks (center-right) got 4.75% and 13 seats and Pasok (Socialists) 4.68% (13 seats). Along with a low turnout - almost 40% did not head to the polls - the vote was also marked by another strong and worrying signal: the xenophobic Golden Dawn party, which is openly pro-Nazi, conquered enough votes to become the third-largest party in the country although all its leaders are currently in jail (where they voted) after being shaken by investigations for setting up a criminal organization.
If a coalition became necessary, and Syriza and Nea Demokratia failed, the ball would fall into Nikos Michaloliakos' court. He is still detained. President Karolos Papoulias in that case would give him a mandate over the phone, according to well-informed sources. (ANSA).
