Greek Elections: What Will Happen If No Party Wins Absolute Majority?

Posted by keeptalkinggreece

While the general election campaign is in full speed, the latest public opinion polls destroy any political hopes for an absolute majority and the formation of  one-party government. Greece’s voters will most likely cast their vote pushed by the motivation to “punish” those parties that governed the country for almost four decades and ruining it.
A coalition government is most likely to emerge after the general election on May 6th 2012.  However except the socialist PASOK – a party that is expected to suffer a historic defeat for having taken the country to the IMF – all parties seem to dismiss any after elections coalition government options.  Also out of fear to scare their voters.

So what will happen if there is no winner with an absolutely majority of more than 44%? Greek Constitution is clear on the issue:

According to the Article 37 of the Greek Constitution, the President shall appoint the leader of the political party with the absolute majority of seats in the Parliament as Prime Minister.
If no party has the absolute majority, the President shall give the leader of the party with a relative majority an exploratory mandate in order to ascertain the possibility of forming a Government enjoying the confidence of the Parliament.
If this possibility cannot be ascertained, the President shall give the exploratory mandate to the leader of the second largest party in Parliament, and if this proves to be unsuccessful, to the leader of the third largest party in Parliament.
Each exploratory mandate shall be in force for three days.
 If all exploratory mandates prove to be unsuccessful, the President summons all party leaders, and if the impossibility to form a Cabinet enjoying the confidence of the Parliament is confirmed, he shall attempt to form a Cabinet composed of all parties in Parliament for the purpose of holding parliamentary elections.
If this fails, he shall entrust the President of the Supreme Administrative Court or of the Supreme Civil and Criminal Court or of the Court of Auditors to form a Cabinet as widely accepted as possible to carry out elections and dissolves the Parliament.

Should the party leader stick to their pre-elections announcement of not governmental cooperation, the political instability will continue until new elections would take place, and frustrated Greek voters go to polls with a decision to get a government.