1951 Greek legislative election

Parliamentary elections were held in Greece on 9 September 1951.[1] They resulted in an ambivalent outcome, consisting a narrow and pyrrhic, as proven later, victory for the ruling center-liberal parties of Sophoklis Venizelos and Nikolaos Plastiras.

1951 Greek legislative election

← 1950 9 September 1951 1952 →

All 258 seats in the Hellenic Parliament
130 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party
 
Leader Alexandros Papagos Nikolaos Plastiras
Party Greek Rally EPEK
Last election 16.45%, 45 seats
Seats won 114 74
Seat change New Increase 29
Popular vote 624,316 401,379
Percentage 36.53% 23.49%
Swing New Increase7.04pp

  Third party Fourth party
 
Leader Sofoklis Venizelos Ioannis Passalidis
Party Liberal EDA
Last election 17.24%, 56 seats
Seats won 57 10
Seat change Increase 1 New
Popular vote 325,390 180,640
Percentage 19.04% 10.57%
Swing Increase1.80pp New

Prime Minister before election

Sofoklis Venizelos
Liberal

Prime Minister after election

Nikolaos Plastiras
EPEK

Background edit

After the Greek elections of 1950, when the divided centrist parties had a clear majority in the Parliament political instability was the main characteristic of the political life in Greece. The subsequent centre-liberal governments of Sophoklis Venizelos, Nikolaos Plastiras and Georgios Papandreou did not manage to ensure and enforce stability. As a result, Nikolaos Plastiras supported a People's Party government, under the terms that the latter would soon conduct elections.

Outcome edit

First party in the elections of 1951 was the just-founded Greek Rally of Alexandros Papagos, which swept the traditionally dominant right-wing People's Party. Nevertheless, the two major centrist-liberal parties, the Liberal Party and the National Progressive Center Union, elected more deputies than the conservatives.

The left-wing EDA, a party believed to have been affiliated with the outlaw during 1950-1974 Communist Party of Greece, made its first appearance in these elections.

Results edit

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Greek Rally624,31636.53114New
National Progressive Center Union401,37923.4974+29
Liberal Party325,39019.0457+1
United Democratic Left180,64010.5710–8
People's Party113,8766.662–60
Georgios Papandreou Party35,8102.100–35
Agricultural and Labour Party21,0091.231New
Socialist Party of Greece3,9120.230New
List of Independents1,5540.0900
Communist Archio-Marxist Party530.000New
Independents9650.0600
Total1,708,904100.00258+8
Valid votes1,708,90499.53
Invalid/blank votes8,1080.47
Total votes1,717,012100.00
Registered voters/turnout2,224,24677.20
Source: Nohlen & Stöver, Hellenic Parliament

Aftermath edit

Since no party or alliance had the absolute majority in the Parliament and Alexandros Papagos refused to participate in a government of national unity, the Liberal Party and the National Progressive Center Union formed a minority government under the leadership of Nikolaos Plastiras, which lasted for about a year, since 1952, when Nikolaos Plastiras submitted his resignation and new legislative elections were proclaimed by the King Paul I.

References edit

  1. ^ Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p830 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7