The Caretaker Cabinet of Panagiotis Pikrammenos was sworn in on May 17, 2012 after the end of the period of office of the Cabinet of Lucas Papademos, when an inconclusive election on May 6, 2012 resulted in a hung parliament. According to the provisions of the Greek Constitution, President Karolos Papoulias appointed Panagiotis Pikrammenos, the outgoing chairman of the Council of State, as caretaker Prime Minister after none of the major parties was able to form a government. The subsequent elections were held on 17 June 2012, again resulting in a hung parliament, and this cabinet served until the formation of a coalition government on 21 June 2012.

Legislative elections were held in Greece on Sunday, 17 June 2012, to elect all 300 members to the Hellenic Parliament in accordance with the constitution, after all attempts to form a new government failed following the May elections. If all attempts to form a new government fail, the constitution directs the president to dissolve a newly elected parliament, and then to call for new parliamentary elections within 30 days of the dissolution. The president announced at 16 May the date for the new election, and signed the formal decree to dissolve the parliament and call for the election at 19 May.