Greeks promised tax relief, wage hikes as protesters take to the streets over cost of living crunch

Greece’s conservative government pledged tax relief and wage increases ahead of a general election next year, as thousands protested the high cost of living in Thessaloniki on Saturday. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis emphasized that Greece has exited stagnation and is ready to reap the benefits of its efforts, promising relief from heavy taxes and improved incomes.

Over 25,000 people participated in union-led protests, with 3,000 police officers deployed to manage the demonstrations. The government's support measures, totaling over 2 billion euros ($2.3 billion) for the next year, include tax breaks for the self-employed, farmers, and rural residents, along with salary and benefit increases for retirees and public sector workers.

Despite Greece delivering a budget surplus and economic growth of 2.1% last year and reducing public debt, workers face the lowest purchasing power in the European Union due to low wages and soaring prices. Mitsotakis, the 58-year-old son of the late conservative Prime Minister, has been in office since 2019 and is running for a third term in the April election, though his center-right New Democracy party trails in polls.

The protests were marred earlier by a fighter jet crash during an air show near Athens, resulting in the deaths of two air force pilots.