Surviving the No Confidence Vote: Greek Parliament Rejects Motion Against Prime Minister’s Government

In the midst of a heated debate, the Greek Parliament voted on a motion of no confidence against Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ government. However, the motion was ultimately rejected by a slim margin of just 17 votes. The parliamentary presidency announced that 159 MPs voted against the opposition’s motion while 141 voted in favor, leaving the government under Mitsotakis to continue its leadership.

The social democratic party Pasok had requested the vote of no confidence and was supported by all opposition parties. The focus of the motion was a tragic train accident that occurred approximately one year ago near Larisa, resulting in the death of 57 people. The Larisa station manager confessed before the judiciary that he directed the Intercity onto the wrong track, leading to the fatal collision.

The opposition accused the government of manipulating evidence and leaked radio conversations between train drivers and station masters that suggested otherwise. Prime Minister Mitsotakis acknowledged that there were safety issues within Greece’s railway network but argued that if it weren’t for mistakes made by station managers like Larisa, such accidents would not have occurred. The investigation concluded that poor conditions and inadequate safety measures led to the tragedy, which deeply shocked Greece when it happened late on February 28th, 2023. It remains unclear when this incident will be dealt with in court.

Despite their differences over this issue, both sides can agree on one thing: Greece needs better infrastructure and safer transportation systems for its citizens to move forward from this devastating event.