There are not many days left until the early stages national elections on 7 July. A battle that SYRIZA, for its part, has given it the character of a "battle of battles" in its attempt to recover from the heavy defeat in European elections and regional polls and to overturn the predictions. On the other hand, there is New Democracy, which with the momentum of clear dominance in the recent electoral contests managed to do what it has been persistently asking for for the last, at least, two years: Early recourse to the polls.
In the modern political history of Greece and after the seven years of the junta the treaty of the premature elections it is anything but unusual. To be precise, early elections for the last 45 years are the rule. With only 3 governments having managed to complete their political program within the 4 years that the Constitution of the country enables them.
From the post-colonial period of 1974 until the summer of 2019 and in view of the national elections in July, 17 electoral contests have been held in Greece, including the elections of November 17, 1974 won by the newly formed party of Konstantinos Karamanlis, New Democracy. THE New Republic holds the record for the shortest government term (June - November 1989), while citizens were invited to go to the polls twice in one year in 1989, 2012 and 2015.
On the occasion of the big one battle of 7 July Let's take a look back at the electoral duels that took place from the Metapolitism until the last national elections of 2015.
17 November 1974: The "prime minister" appointed by Ioannidis's junta Adamantios Androutsopoulos is succeeded by Konstantinos Karamanlis who has just returned from Paris, and forms a Government of National Unity on July 24, 1974 with the aim of leading the country to the first free elections after a seven-year dictatorship. The elections take place on November 17 of the same year with the winner of his newly formed party, New Democracy.
20 November 1977: National issues, the conflict with Turkey but also the accession to the EEC were the pretext for holding early elections in 1977. Again the New Democracy of Konstantinos Karamanlis emerged victorious. PASOK takes the baton from the Center Union (EDIK). The United Left is dissolved. and for the first time the KKE descends autonomously. After the signing of the EEC accession treaty, K. Karamanlis resigned, was elected President of the Republic on May 5, 1980, and was succeeded in the prime ministership and leadership of ND by George Rallis until the 1981 elections.
October 18 1981: With slogans: "Change", "Outside the Bases of Death", "EEC and NATO the same union", "Date with History" etc. PASOK, under Andrea Papandreou with 48,07% of the votes takes over the government. The period of PASOK begins.
June 2 1985: The term of the first PASOK government will end four months before its Constitutional term, in June 1985. The elections of June 2 again find the winner in PASOK of Andreas Papandreou. The second government will be complete as the next elections will be held in June 1989.
June 18 1989: A politically turbulent period that has remained in the memory of the people until the "dirty '89". The elections are being held under the weight of the Koskotas Scandal. Konstantinos Mitsotakis' ND comes first, but no party secures the majority.
The Coalition is formed and participates in the elections for the first time. A government of cooperation is being formed between ND and the Coalition - under Tzanis Tzannetakis, with the aim of preventing the scandals from becoming statute-barred. Andreas Papandreou and a number of PASOK executives and former ministers are being referred to the Special Court for the "Koskota case".
The Coalition brings together the parties of the Left, including the KKE, which is its main body. The Democratic Renewal (DIANA) of Kostis Stefanopoulos appears and enters the Parliament for the first time
5 November 1989: Just 5 months after the June 18 elections, elections are held again. In this confrontation as well, New Democracy comes out first, but without securing the governing majority. The result was the creation of the ecumenical government under Xenophon Zolotas with the support of New Democracy, PASOK and the Coalition.
April 8 1990: The situation in the country continues to be deplorable and just 6 months after the last recourse to the polls, the citizens are again called to vote in a controversial election of the government.
The New Democracy led by him Konstantinos Mitsotakis she wins the elections but this time she is missing only one seat for the 151. So she agrees with DIANA of Konstantinos Stefanopoulos to be given a seat. As it happened. However, after the formation of the government, the Supreme Special Court ruled that a mistake had been made in the distribution of the seats of New Democracy and it was deprived of a seat, so New Democracy was given an additional seat and now the government has 152 seats in Parliament.
October 10 1993: The expulsion of Foreign Minister Antonis Samaras from the ND Government in April 1992, for his manipulations on behalf of FYROM leads to the creation of the Spring Policy (POLAN) in June 1993 and the independence of two ND MPs in September of the same year. The government of ND falls, the country is led to elections.
PASOK and Andreas Papandreou return to power. Until January 15, 1995, when A. Papandreou also left due to health problems. Takes over on January 21, 1994 the Costas Simitis.
September 22, 1996: PASOK with Costas Simitis wins the elections. The PASOK government is implementing the Maastricht Treaty and preparing the country's participation in EMU. Again, the four years are not over, however.
April 9 2000: PASOK with Costas Simitis narrowly wins the elections. PASOK under K. Simitis remains in power until March 2004. The European Union since January 1, 1999 calculates its financial figures in euros. Greece joins the Monetary Union and uses the euro as its currency in accounting on January 1, 2001. The following year, January 1, 2002, the DRACHMI is abolished and at the same time as the other eurozone countries, the EURO is put into circulation in its natural form.
March 7 2004: New Democracy returns to power, under his leadership Costa Karamanli. However, it will last for 3,5 years. That is, until September 2007.
In the elections of 2004, the electoral combination SYRIZA (Coalition of the Radical Left - Union Ballot) is created with the Coalition and the participation of AKOA, KEDA, DEA, Active Citizens and support from the JCC as the main body.
September 16, 2007: The reforms in Education and the preparation of the 2008 budget were the reason for the dissolution of the Parliament and the holding of early elections. New Democracy is regaining its autonomy. However, Costas Karamanlis will remain in the prime minister's office for two years as the country is led to elections again in October 2009.
October 4 2009: In these elections, George Papandreou's PASOK gathers 44% and forms a government. However the George Papandreou will remain in place until November 2011. In these two years mediates the signing of the first Memorandum. His place is taken by Loukas Papadimos who will remain at the Maximos Palace until May 2012, when elections will be held.
6 May 2012: New Democracy under Antonis Samaras wins elections but never formed a government. The cycle of investigative orders was exhausted and new elections were called a month later.
June 17 2012: A. Samaras prevails again and forms a government with PASOK and DIMAR. Her term in office ended in January 2015, as Parliament failed to elect a President of the Republic.
January 25 2015: It is considered a day for the Left in the country as SYRIZA under him Alexis Tsipras emerged winner. For the formation of a government, A. Tsipras collaborated with ANEL of Panos Kammenos. However, elections were scheduled to take place after nine months of negotiations with creditors and the signing of the third Memorandum, following the July 5 referendum.
September 15, 2015: After the voting of the third Memorandum, the country was led to new elections. The winner was again o SYRIZA but without having a parliamentary majority. Thus, he re-formed a co-government with ANEL. However, the cooperation between the two parties lasted until the vote on the Prespa Agreement.