Election in Greece (CRS Report for Congress)
| Release Date |
Sept. 14, 2015 |
| Report Number |
IN10356 |
| Report Type |
Insight |
| Authors |
Belkin, Paul |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
Summary:
Greece will hold a snap legislative election on September 20, only eight months after the country's last election. The new election comes as Greece continues to struggle with the negative repercussions of a sovereign debt and financial crisis that began in 2009. Over the past six years, Greece's economy has contracted by 25% and unemployment has tripled to above 25%. Economic challenges have in turn shaken the political system. This will be Greece's fourth parliamentary election since May 2012. Since 2009, the country has had six different governments (including two caretaker governments). Each has struggled--and three have collapsed--in the face of growing public and political pressure to halt the spending cuts, tax increases, and economic reforms that have been implemented in exchange for financial assistance from other European governments and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
