ATHENS (AFP) — Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis on Friday called on an electorate widely alienated by the extent of deadly forest fires to vote massively in upcoming legislative polls to ensure that a strong government emerges to continue reforms.
"A stable government, one that can take quick and daring decisions for change, is a critical requirement for this country to move forward," Karamanlis told thousands of supporters here in his closing campaign speech.
"Nobody should be absent on Sunday, participation is a debt to Greece...we must continue the changes we started," said the prime minister, who turned 51 on Friday.
More than 23 percent of voters had abstained in the last election which was held in 2004.
"This is the moment to choose between sweeping changes or paralysis," Karamanlis said, indicating that he would reshuffle his cabinet which has become increasingly unpopular in recent months.
"I pledge to form a government of young people eager to work," he said.
The next Greek government faces a massive challenge in overhauling the country's pensions system, which is creaking under the weight of an ageing population, and rein in a bloated public sector.
Every vote could count under a new electoral law that distributes parliamentary seats more proportionately. Both the ruling New Democracy party and the opposition Pasok socialists are desperate to garner at least 42 percent to secure outright majority.
Karamanlis has pledged to hold fresh elections if his party wins but cannot govern, and has ruled out cooperation with any other party.
The conservatives had a slim lead of between 0.3 and 2.0 percent in polls published before an embargo on the release of survey results took effect two weeks ago, and the race looked theirs to lose.
But the election was thrown wide open in late August when a swathe of destructive fires tore through southwestern Greece, leaving at least 66 dead and burning thousands of hectares of forest and agricultural land.
With the number of undecided voters at unusually high levels so close to an election and disappointment with the government's handling of the fire tragedy running high, analysts are at a loss to predict a clear winner.
Karamanlis says he wants to build on a solid economic record which saw Greece's budget deficit fall to 2.6 percent of GDP last year from 7.9 percent in 2004, and growth steady at around four percent.
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