Posted on 10/04/2009 6:03:17 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
ATHENS -- Greece's opposition Socialists won national elections on Sunday as voters rejected the incumbent center-right party that had been tarred by scandals and unpopular economic policies during its five and a half years in office.
George Papandreou, leader of the winning Socialist party, Pasok, told supporters, "We bear a great responsibility to change the course of the country."
Pasok, the Socialist party, secured 43.9% of the vote in early official results, translating to 160 seats in Greece's 300-member parliament. Under Greece's reinforced proportional-representation system, the party with the largest number of votes is awarded seats based on overall results plus 40 bonus seats. The allocation is also affected by other factors, including how many parties failed to reach the 3% threshhold need to enter
... ...
The Socialist victory bucks a wider conservative trend across Europe. France and Italy have center-right governments, and Germany returned center-right Chancellor Angela Merkel to power last Sunday.
To tackle an unemployment rate of 9% and what is expected to be Greece's first recession in 15 years, Pasok has vowed to pursue a €3 billion ($4.4 billion) stimulus program. It has pledged to raise taxes on the wealthy and clean up endemic corruption in the public sector.
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Among the first challenges facing the new government will be to present a credible program to the European Commission for how it plans to reduce Greece's budget deficit in the short term and, in the medium term, how it plans to cut the country's debt burden, estimated to top 100% of GDP this year.
The European Commission has given Greece until the end of 2010 to bring its budget deficit below the European Union-mandated ceiling of 3% of GDP. The country is unlikely to meet that target.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Idiots.
In other news, the sun rises in the east.
Euroweenie Commies, who woulda thunk it?
I doubt their “hopey change” will work out any differently from ours. blind, dumb, and dangerous.
You know, as long as every incumbent gets voted out - its a good thing.
Greece as little impact on the world - they got the incumbents out and we need to support that everywhere.
“To tackle an unemployment rate of 9% and what is expected to be Greece’s first recession in 15 years, Pasok has vowed to pursue a €3 billion ($4.4 billion) stimulus program. It has pledged to raise taxes on the wealthy and clean up endemic corruption in the public sector.”
The Obama Plan. Have fun, idiots.
And when their liberals fail, do they go communist or anarchist?
How long before they are sorry?
Hmmm. Where have we heard that sales pitch before?
Too much baklava and not enough common sense.
Did they have help from ACORN INTERNATIONAL?
Prince Philip and the rest of the Greek royal family may be surprised that the country which sent them packing has elected a third-generation politician to head the government, let alone a half-American one who was born in Minnesota.
That makes the right 1-4 in the last 4 European elections.
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