Post by LWPD on May 6, 2012 17:19:53 GMT -5
Very interesting election results out of Greece and France. A shift in representation could signal conflicts ahead with the powers behind forced austerity.
Courtesy of ABC.com
Greek pro-austerity parties suffer major blow
By Philip Williams
Greek voters have dealt a blow to eurozone hopes that Athens will stick to its austerity commitments as parties opposing more cuts, including neo-Nazis, won almost 60 per cent support in an election.
According to the latest exit polls, the two main parties suffered heavy losses on Sunday, with the conservative New Democracy and left-wing Pasok getting just 32.0 to 34.5 per cent between them.
That is down from 77.4 per cent at the last polls in 2009.
New Democracy, led by Antonis Samaras, remained the largest party but it fell short of an absolute majority in parliament.
It would therefore be tough for Mr Samaras, once he is officially tasked to do so by the president, to form a government able to keep its austerity promises and implement more cuts demanded by the country's creditors.
The ruling parties have been struck by an earthquake. It has crushed Pasok and sent a strong tremor through New Democracy.
Athens has already committed to finding in June another 11.5 billion euros ($15 billion) in savings through 2014.
New Democracy obtained about a fifth of support this time, short of the 37 per cent needed for an absolute majority in parliament and down from 33.5 per cent three years ago.
The other main player Pasok saw its score slump to 13-14 per cent from 43.9 per cent. The party even looked set to be relegated to third place by the leftist Syriza, which scored 15.5-17.0 per cent, more than triple the 4.6 per cent of 2009.
"The ruling parties have been struck by an earthquake. It has crushed Pasok and sent a strong tremor through New Democracy," shadow foreign minister Panos Panagiotopoulos said on television channel Mega.
Evangelos Venizelos, Pasok leader and the finance minister who negotiated the second bailout, called for a "national unity government" among pro-European parties but admitted this might be "clearly difficult".
Neo-Nazi surge
Neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn was also set to enter parliament for the first time since the end of the military junta in 1974, with 6 to 8 per cent, making it the sixth-biggest party in the 300-seat chamber with some 25 lawmakers.
Leader Nikos Michaloliakos said his party would fight against "world usurers" and the "slavery" of an EU-IMF loan agreement he likened to a "dictatorship".
"The time for fear has come," he said.
On its website, Golden Dawn hailed the dawn of a "new nationalist movement".
"Hundreds of thousands of Greeks have dynamically joined the national cause for a great, free Greece," it said.
The fourth-biggest party was set to be Independent Greeks with 10-11 per cent, a new right-wing party set up by New Democracy dissident Panos Kammenos, followed by the communist KKE on 8.0-9.5 per cent.
The Democratic Left, a Europhile new leftist party, notched up 5.5-6.5 per cent.
In total, seven parties were set to enter parliament compared with just five after the last election.
Both Pasok and ND have said they want the "troika" of the European Union, International Monetary Fund and European Central Bank to cut Greece more slack in their two bailout deals worth 240 billion euros ($314.0 billion).
But with voters angry at the austerity cuts demanded in response, many of the smaller parties, including possible kingmaker Syriza, want to tear up the agreements.
The communist KKE party want to leave the eurozone and the neo-Nazis say they want to stop servicing Greece's debts, an aim shared by Mr Kammenos who wants to turn to Russia to prop up the country.
The final results are expected later on Sunday night (local time), and experts have warned they could differ considerably from the exit polls.
Other elections
The Greek vote comes on a day of elections throughout Europe.
In Serbia, the presidential race is neck-and-neck with polls suggesting the opposition Serbian Progressive party may end up with the most seats in the new parliament.
Italian prime minister Mario Monti is also facing a test of his support for austerity measures in local mayoral and city council elections.
In Armenia, authorities are hoping today's parliamentary elections will not end with the same violence witnessed after the last poll in 2008.
______________________________________________________________
Courtesy of ABC News
Francois Hollande wins French presidency
By Lisa Millar
Socialist Francois Hollande is France's new president after winning a majority of votes and defeating Nicholas Sarkozy.
Mr Sarkozy conceded defeat to Mr Hollande within half an hour of the last polling stations closing on Sunday.
Based on initial counts of ballots cast, polling institutes project Mr Hollande will win the election with between 51.8 to 52 per cent of the vote.
Mr Hollande, a 57-year-old career politician, claimed victory from his home town in rural France.
He expressed "deep gratitude" to his supporters.
"The French people have chosen change," he said.
"I fully appreciate the honour that has been granted upon me, and the importance of my duty now in front of you.
"I want to express my deep gratitude to all the people, men and woman, who - through the vote - have made this victory possible."
Crowds at Socialist Party headquarters in Paris erupted as Mr Hollande made his speech and as results flashed on a big screen.
"I can imagine the emotion. I share it. I feel it. And this is an emotion that must be an emotion of pride, of dignity, of responsibility," Mr Hollande said.
"The change I am offering you must be to the expectations of France.
"It starts now."
Mr Hollande says he looks forward to "giving back hope" to the people of France and promised to be the president "for everyone".
"Long live the Republic - and long live France."
Sarkozy's reign ends
Despite a last minute increase in support, Mr Sarkozy failed to overcome his own popularity and a growing rejection of austerity measures.
He told his supporters he took responsibility for his defeat, saying: "It's the number one who takes responsibility."
He said he had spoken on the phone to Mr Hollande and wished him good luck.
"France now has a new president of the republic through democratic choice," he said.
"Francois Hollande is the president of France and must be respected. I want to wish him good luck among the tests. It will be difficult."
Mr Sarkozy suggested he would step back from frontline politics, but stopped short of confirming his retirement.
"In this new era, I will remain one of you, but my place will no longer be the same," he said.
"My engagement with the life of my country will now be different, but time will never strain the bonds between us."
Mr Sarkozy is the 11th successive leader in the eurozone to be swept from power since the currency bloc's debt crisis began in 2009.
Jubilant left-wingers celebrated outside Socialist Party headquarters and in Paris' Bastille square, with Mr Hollande set to be France's first Socialist president in two decades.
Mr Hollande says one of his first duties will be to renegotiate a fiscal pact with Germany.
Courtesy of ABC.com
Greek pro-austerity parties suffer major blow
By Philip Williams
Greek voters have dealt a blow to eurozone hopes that Athens will stick to its austerity commitments as parties opposing more cuts, including neo-Nazis, won almost 60 per cent support in an election.
According to the latest exit polls, the two main parties suffered heavy losses on Sunday, with the conservative New Democracy and left-wing Pasok getting just 32.0 to 34.5 per cent between them.
That is down from 77.4 per cent at the last polls in 2009.
New Democracy, led by Antonis Samaras, remained the largest party but it fell short of an absolute majority in parliament.
It would therefore be tough for Mr Samaras, once he is officially tasked to do so by the president, to form a government able to keep its austerity promises and implement more cuts demanded by the country's creditors.
The ruling parties have been struck by an earthquake. It has crushed Pasok and sent a strong tremor through New Democracy.
Athens has already committed to finding in June another 11.5 billion euros ($15 billion) in savings through 2014.
New Democracy obtained about a fifth of support this time, short of the 37 per cent needed for an absolute majority in parliament and down from 33.5 per cent three years ago.
The other main player Pasok saw its score slump to 13-14 per cent from 43.9 per cent. The party even looked set to be relegated to third place by the leftist Syriza, which scored 15.5-17.0 per cent, more than triple the 4.6 per cent of 2009.
"The ruling parties have been struck by an earthquake. It has crushed Pasok and sent a strong tremor through New Democracy," shadow foreign minister Panos Panagiotopoulos said on television channel Mega.
Evangelos Venizelos, Pasok leader and the finance minister who negotiated the second bailout, called for a "national unity government" among pro-European parties but admitted this might be "clearly difficult".
Neo-Nazi surge
Neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn was also set to enter parliament for the first time since the end of the military junta in 1974, with 6 to 8 per cent, making it the sixth-biggest party in the 300-seat chamber with some 25 lawmakers.
Leader Nikos Michaloliakos said his party would fight against "world usurers" and the "slavery" of an EU-IMF loan agreement he likened to a "dictatorship".
"The time for fear has come," he said.
On its website, Golden Dawn hailed the dawn of a "new nationalist movement".
"Hundreds of thousands of Greeks have dynamically joined the national cause for a great, free Greece," it said.
The fourth-biggest party was set to be Independent Greeks with 10-11 per cent, a new right-wing party set up by New Democracy dissident Panos Kammenos, followed by the communist KKE on 8.0-9.5 per cent.
The Democratic Left, a Europhile new leftist party, notched up 5.5-6.5 per cent.
In total, seven parties were set to enter parliament compared with just five after the last election.
Both Pasok and ND have said they want the "troika" of the European Union, International Monetary Fund and European Central Bank to cut Greece more slack in their two bailout deals worth 240 billion euros ($314.0 billion).
But with voters angry at the austerity cuts demanded in response, many of the smaller parties, including possible kingmaker Syriza, want to tear up the agreements.
The communist KKE party want to leave the eurozone and the neo-Nazis say they want to stop servicing Greece's debts, an aim shared by Mr Kammenos who wants to turn to Russia to prop up the country.
The final results are expected later on Sunday night (local time), and experts have warned they could differ considerably from the exit polls.
Other elections
The Greek vote comes on a day of elections throughout Europe.
In Serbia, the presidential race is neck-and-neck with polls suggesting the opposition Serbian Progressive party may end up with the most seats in the new parliament.
Italian prime minister Mario Monti is also facing a test of his support for austerity measures in local mayoral and city council elections.
In Armenia, authorities are hoping today's parliamentary elections will not end with the same violence witnessed after the last poll in 2008.
______________________________________________________________
Courtesy of ABC News
Francois Hollande wins French presidency
By Lisa Millar
Socialist Francois Hollande is France's new president after winning a majority of votes and defeating Nicholas Sarkozy.
Mr Sarkozy conceded defeat to Mr Hollande within half an hour of the last polling stations closing on Sunday.
Based on initial counts of ballots cast, polling institutes project Mr Hollande will win the election with between 51.8 to 52 per cent of the vote.
Mr Hollande, a 57-year-old career politician, claimed victory from his home town in rural France.
He expressed "deep gratitude" to his supporters.
"The French people have chosen change," he said.
"I fully appreciate the honour that has been granted upon me, and the importance of my duty now in front of you.
"I want to express my deep gratitude to all the people, men and woman, who - through the vote - have made this victory possible."
Crowds at Socialist Party headquarters in Paris erupted as Mr Hollande made his speech and as results flashed on a big screen.
"I can imagine the emotion. I share it. I feel it. And this is an emotion that must be an emotion of pride, of dignity, of responsibility," Mr Hollande said.
"The change I am offering you must be to the expectations of France.
"It starts now."
Mr Hollande says he looks forward to "giving back hope" to the people of France and promised to be the president "for everyone".
"Long live the Republic - and long live France."
Sarkozy's reign ends
Despite a last minute increase in support, Mr Sarkozy failed to overcome his own popularity and a growing rejection of austerity measures.
He told his supporters he took responsibility for his defeat, saying: "It's the number one who takes responsibility."
He said he had spoken on the phone to Mr Hollande and wished him good luck.
"France now has a new president of the republic through democratic choice," he said.
"Francois Hollande is the president of France and must be respected. I want to wish him good luck among the tests. It will be difficult."
Mr Sarkozy suggested he would step back from frontline politics, but stopped short of confirming his retirement.
"In this new era, I will remain one of you, but my place will no longer be the same," he said.
"My engagement with the life of my country will now be different, but time will never strain the bonds between us."
Mr Sarkozy is the 11th successive leader in the eurozone to be swept from power since the currency bloc's debt crisis began in 2009.
Jubilant left-wingers celebrated outside Socialist Party headquarters and in Paris' Bastille square, with Mr Hollande set to be France's first Socialist president in two decades.
Mr Hollande says one of his first duties will be to renegotiate a fiscal pact with Germany.
