08 October 2015•Update: 09 October 2015
ATHENS
The coalition government of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Independent Greeks leader Panos Kammenos has won a vote of confidence in the Greek parliament.
The vote took place early Thursday during which 155 parliamentarians voted in favor, 144 against and one abstained.
The abstention came from New Democracy parliamentarian Nikos Dendias.
A three-day debate on the Greek government’s bailout policy took place earlier this week, which concluded with a vote of confidence for the coalition government.
All six parties of the opposition -- New Democracy, Golden Dawn, Democratic Coalition (PASOK and DIMAR), Communist Party, Potami and Centrist’s Union -- voted against the government.
Tsipras, who was re-elected as prime minister on September 20, said: “This parliament…despite the big difficulties we are faced with, could be the parliament when we exit the crisis and the economy recovers.”
Commenting on the economy, he said that the first aim was to complete the review of Greece’s third bailout program within November, so that by the end of the year, the banks’ recapitalization could be completed and the debate on a debt write-down could begin.
These developments, he said, would fulfill conditions for the return to positive growth rates in the first half of 2016 and a gradual restoration of economic stability and investor trust, “so that in early 2017 we can regain access to international debt markets”.
The leftist coalition government along with junior partner ANEL now need to implement the third memorandum and impose even harder measures and reforms. The government will be tested the coming weeks when the votes on reforms, tax hikes and pension cuts take place to unlock the €3 billion in bailout funds.
Leftist Syriza party won general election on January 25 with just over 36 percent of the general vote, making its leader Tsipras the youngest Greek prime minister in Greece’s history.
However, after months of fruitless and tough negotiations, Tsipras was forced to go ahead with a referendum in July where millions rejected austerity for Greece. Despite the support he got from the Greek people, Tsipras failed to keep his election pledges and saw his party split into the newly-created, Popular Unity Party.
Tough reforms were voted with the support of opposition parties before Tsipras declared early elections on September 20, when for the third time Syriza leader won the support of the Greek people who opted to give the leftist party a second chance despite the imposition of capital controls and social devastation.
