Greek Politics
Vexed SYRIZA abstains from vote on election bans
The Greek Parliament voted, amid some acrimony, late on Wednesday night to allow the Supreme Court to ban parties that are led by convicted criminals and which represent a threat to democracy from taking part in the country’s elections.
PM sees stance on defence issues as vote winner for ND
Parliament is due to vote this Wednesday on legislation that would ban the far-right Ellines party from taking part in this year’s elections, which SYRIZA feels Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is trying to turn into a contest about each party’s patriotism.
ND warns of fiscal risk from SYRIZA pledges as Tsipras takes heart from Cyprus polls
New Democracy has been picking apart SYRIZA’s economic programme, accusing the left-wing opposition of making promises it can’t deliver and risking fiscal derailment in the process.
Opposition vents over police corruption allegations
The start of a new week finds the government facing awkward questions again, although this time they are focussed more on alleged corruption within the police force than in connection to the surveillance scandal, which has been dogging New Democracy for months.
![Photo by Myrto Papadopoulos [www.myrtopapadopoulos.com]](resources/toolip/img-thumb/2013/11/02/goldendawntorches_myrto_1000_011-medium.jpg "Photo by Myrto Papadopoulos [www.myrtopapadopoulos.com]")
ND makes move to stop far-right party from taking part in elections
The government has tabled a legislative amendment aimed at banning former Golden Dawn MP and convicted criminal Ilias Kasidiaris from leading his party, which has shown signs of gaining support recently, into this year’s elections.
PASOK feels the squeeze as main rivals paint stark election dilemma
With all parties in informal campaign mode, the outcome of the next elections is becoming increasingly uncertain. The gap between New Democracy and SYRIZA is closing, while PASOK is emerging as the main loser in an increasingly polarised debate.
ND views SYRIZA's Parliament walkout as a pre-election gift
The government believes that SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras has scored an own goal by pulling his party out of any further votes in Parliament until elections take place, although New Democracy is plagued by its own concerns in the form of allegations about corruption within the police force.
Tsipras positions SYRIZA as defender of democratic institutions amid row over police corruption
SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras has launched the party’s election campaign with a call for the defence of democratic values against what he describes as an abuse of power by New Democracy.
PM bats away surveillance claims, looks to final pre-election handouts
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who left Athens on Friday for an official visit to Japan, easily survived the no-confidence vote called by the opposition but SYRIZA is not intending to let the surveillance issue die down despite the New Democracy leader’s best efforts to turn the tables on Alexis Tsipras.
Transparency concerns emerge among voters as leaders clash over wiretapping
The debate that followed the censure motion tabled by SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras this week is due to climax on Friday, when PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the opposition chief do battle over the surveillance scandal before MPs vote in a ballot that New Democracy is expected to win comfortably given its six-seat majority.