MacroPolis

Change to date of local elections adds to expectations of May national vote

The chances of general elections being held next May are rising, especially after the government agreed on Wednesday to hold local and European Parliament elections together.

SYRIZA targets pensions boost as New Democracy builds on poll lead

The possible cancellation of next year’s pension cuts and steps to increase the minimum wage are among the main issues that the government is focusing on as it seeks to claw back New Democracy’s large opinion poll lead over SYRIZA.

Coalition eyes electoral change, polls show wide lead for New Democracy

Although on Friday all eyes were on the latest debate in Parliament about the Novartis bribery scandal and the Macedonia name talks, discussions about the next general elections have not died down.

Parties mull changes to electoral law, top judge resigns

The discussion about changes to the electoral law is hotting up in Greece, in a further sign that local politicians are steadily turning their attention to the next national vote even though it remains unclear when it will be held.

Array of centre-left leadership candidates edge towards watershed vote

By: Georgia Nakou

Campaigning is in full swing for the leadership of the centre-left in Greece, which is due to be contested in a first round of voting on November 12.

Greek population among highest for poverty risk, Eurostat survey shows

Eurostat’s annual at risk of poverty statistic updated for 2016 showed that Greece has one of the highest percentage of population at risk of poverty in the European Union.

Onus on Athens to speed up review after German election result

Eurogroup chief Jeroen Dijsselbloem is due in Athens for talks on Monday and while the main topic of discussion will be the third review, the Greek government will also be concerned about the doubts generated by Germany’s election results.

Mitsotakis pledges tax cuts and reforms, hopes for lower fiscal targets

It was New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s turn to step into the spotlight at the Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) last weekend and set out his proposals.

Schaeuble presents Athens with stark reality of programme without IMF

The Greek government was still pondering the implications of Wolfgang Schaeuble’s comments regarding the possible exclusion of the International Monetary Fund from the country’s programme when the German finance minister struck again on Monday to leave Athens in little doubt that such an option would entail a high risk for Greece.

Dispute over handouts drags on, allowing tension with creditors to rise

The Greek government looks set to respond to the institutions’ apprehension about Greek commitment to the programme and its fiscal targets after Christmas, according to reports on Friday.