Wednesday, January 7, 2015
On December 29, Prime Minister Antonis Samaras called for a national election to be held on January 25 after government presidential candidate and former European commissioner Stavros Dimas failed to garner the 180 votes in the third and final round of voting in Parliament. Under the constitution, the legislature was dissolved on December 31. The new Parliament will reconvene on February 5 following national elections.
As of December 31, caretaker ministers to the interior and justice portfolios have been appointed to oversee the election process - an electoral formality - along with a new, interim government spokesman, Stephanos Anagnostou.
The last time Greeks went to the polls was on June 17 in 2012, which was a repeat parliamentary election that took place following an unsuccessful bid to form a government in the wake of May 6 national election. Antonis Samaras was then sworn in as Greece’s new Prime Minister, at the head of a three-party coalition government (New Democracy, PASOK, Democratic Left) on June 20, 2012.
