Caretaker govt sworn in ahead of Greece runoff elections

This handout photograph taken and released by The Greek Presidency Office on May 24, 2023, shows Senior Greek judge Ioannis Sarmas, who will be the interim prime minister until the second round of national elections late June, during his meeting with the Greek President in Athens on May 24, 2023. (GREEK PRESIDENCY OFFICE VIA AFP)

ATHENS – Greece's caretaker government was sworn in on Friday at the Presidential Mansion in Athens.

The caretaker government is headed by Ioannis Sarmas, president of the Greek Court of Audit. It is comprised of ministers who used to be experienced diplomats, military officers, technocrats and university professors.

The caretaker government will govern the country until a new government is formed after the runoff elections this summer.

READ MORE: 2nd general election for Greece after coalition attempts fail

The ruling conservative New Democracy (ND) party won Sunday's elections with 40.79 percent of the votes, but did not secure a parliamentary majority.

The June 25 runoff elections will use a revised electoral system facilitating the formation of a single-party government

As the formation of a coalition government failed following last Sunday's elections, former Prime Minister and ND party leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis called for runoff elections on June 25.

The runoff will use a revised electoral system, which provides a bonus of up to 50 extra seats for the winning party, facilitating the formation of a single-party government.

Under such system, the frontrunner could gain an absolute majority in parliament with around 38 percent of the vote, political analysts say.

ND may secure 41.3 percent of the votes in the second ballot, according to an opinion poll released this week by polling firm Kapa Research.

The elected lawmakers will be sworn in on Sunday. Then on Monday the parliament will be dissolved as date of new legislature elections are to be declared.

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