Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Sunday gained a confidence vote referred to as by the primary opposition over his authorities’s dealing with of a snowstorm final week that stranded hundreds of individuals on a motorway and drew public outrage.
The chilly entrance that hit Greece on Jan. 24 blanketed the nation in snow, from Athens to its islands. About 3,000 automobiles turned trapped on the capital’s principal ring street for hours, with authorities having to name within the military to evacuate them.
Authorities confronted widespread criticism over their dealing with of the intense climate situations regardless of warnings from meteorologists.
In his handle to lawmakers forward of the vote, Mitsotakis referred to as the censure movement “a determined transfer” that was “clearly doomed to fail.”
He mentioned the federal government had confronted unprecedented crises since coming to energy in 2019, together with the COVID-19 pandemic, and, referring to the snowstorm, accused the primary opposition Syriza celebration of “instrumentalizing a pure catastrophe” to pile strain on the federal government.
The conservative authorities, which enjoys a snug majority within the 300-seat parliament, gained by 156 votes to 142.
Syriza submitted the no-confidence movement saying the federal government had failed in its responsibility to guard the nation. It additionally accused it of mishandling the pandemic and rising costs, and referred to as on the federal government to resign.
“Solely with elections and a progressive authorities with Syriza in its core will this downfall finish,” Syriza chief and former prime minister Alexis Tsipras advised parliament.
In addition to bringing transport in Athens to a halt, the storm, named Elpida, disrupted flights and left hundreds of households with out energy for days. The federal government declared two days of public holidays final week, shutting public providers, non-essential companies and faculties.
Mitsotakis has apologised for the state’s lack of preparedness, however mentioned accountability lay with the personal operator of the Attiki Odos motorway.
Latest polls carried out earlier than the snowstorms confirmed the ruling New Democracy main by greater than 10 factors over Syriza, however in addition they advised the federal government’s picture had been harm by the pandemic and inflation.
The subsequent common election is due in 2023.
(Reuters)