Greeks to vote in parliamentary elections in May

Athens, March 28 (BNA) Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Tuesday called for parliamentary elections to be held on May 21, saying he wants a clean slate to push through further reforms after four years at the helm.

But last month’s deadly railway disaster and hyperinflation that left many people struggling to pay their bills enraged public opinion and helped erode his New Democratic Party’s lead over the left-wing opposition party Syriza, Reuters reported.

The vote is now unlikely to yield a clear winner, setting the stage for prolonged political maneuvering and a run-off vote.

“The country and its citizens need clear prospects… National elections will be held at the end of the four-year term, as I have committed from the beginning,” Mitsotakis, whose term ends in July, told a televised cabinet meeting. .

The new electoral system, which sets the criteria for winning an absolute majority in the 300-seat parliament, means the May 21 ballot is unlikely to be decisive, and a second round of voting may have to take place by early July.

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