Greek MPs failed on Tuesday to elect a President in a second vote in Parliament, bringing an early general election, feared by financial markets and the country’s EU-IMF creditors, a step closer.
The Government candidate, EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas, fell 32 votes short of the required 200 votes, meaning a third and final vote will be held on December 29. “The required majority has not been met, therefore the vote will be repeated for a third time,” Parliament speaker Evangelos Meimarakis told the chamber.
Failure to elect a President in the third vote will automatically spark early elections in Greece, the second in less than two years, a prospect that could reverse fiscal reforms.