Greece: Govt Survives No-Confidence Vote Over Train Crash

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The Facts

  • Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis's conservative government defeated on Thursday, 159 to 141, a no-confidence vote tabled by opposition parties over the handling of an investigation into the country's deadliest rail crash.

  • Given that such a motion had to be approved by an absolute majority in the 300-seat parliament, some New Democracy lawmakers would have had to support the motion, or at least abstain, for it to have passed.

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The Spin

Narrative A

The opposition knew beforehand that this motion was likely to fail to remove the government, as New Democracy holds an absolute majority in parliament, so the goal here was to put the prime minister and his allies in a position they wanted to avoid. Legal troubles have just started, and most Greeks now deeply distrust them.

Courthouse News Service

Narrative B

One year after the Tempi train tragedy, Greece must remain united to find the truth, hold those responsible accountable, and prevent similar disasters in the future. That's why this failed no-confidence motion could do no good for the country. It's time to let justice work with due diligence in a timely manner.

Greek City Times

Metaculus Prediction