Weekend of crucial elections in Greece, France, and Egypt

The weekend saw crucial elections in the Middle East and Europe, reports BBC news.

Greece’s pro-bailout New Democracy party narrowly beat the anti-bailout Syriza party.

This comes as a sigh of relief for world leaders as the threat of Greece potentially leaving the euro loomed.

New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras stated that this is a victory for all Europe and called for a “national salvation government.”

In France, parliamentary elections saw President Francois Hollande’s Socialist party win enough seats to form a majority.

The win allows them to implement plans to hire more public workers and set out a tax and spend programme without the support of other parties.

While votes are still being counted in Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood is claiming that its candidate Mohammed Mursi has won the presidential election.

Opponent Ahmed Shafiq, who was prime minister under former President Hosni Mubarak, is rejecting the victory claims.

The Supreme Council of Armed Forces, Egypt’s ruling military, recently dissolved parliament. It has given itself legislative control and revoked the president’s control over the military.

Official election results will be announced Thursday.

Flickr photo by: UN Women Arab States