Greek parliament gives backing to new government’s four-year plan

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s new government won a key vote in parliament on Saturday (8 July) after promising to rebuild the country’s credit rating, create jobs, raise wages and cut taxes.

Mitsotakis, 55, has announced a €9 billion programme that includes one-off handouts to pensioners, pay rises to the public sector and an increase in the tax-exemption threshold by €1,000 for households with children from next year.

Mitsotakis won 158 sets in the 300-seat parliament in a 25 June national election, securing a second term and a clear majority to push ahead with his finance plan. Greece emerged from a huge debt crisis five years ago that rocked the eurozone.