2008 December 6 – Massive protests erupted after the killing of Alexandros Grigoropoulos, a 15-year-old youth, in Exarcheia district of central Athens by the police. Demonstrations and rioting soon spread to several other cities in Greece. Outside Greece, solidarity demonstrations, riots and, in some cases, clashes with local police also took place in more than 70 cities around the world, including London, Paris, Brussels, Rome, Dublin, Berlin, Madrid, Barcelona and Amsterdam.

2009 October 4 - Opposition socialist party PASOK wins snap election called by PM Kostas Karamanlis. George Papandreou takes over as new Prime Minister and introduces austerity measures.

2009 December – One of the three main credit ratings agencies, Fitch, Standard & Poor's and Moody's, downgrades Greece's debt. PM Papandreou announces a program of tough public spending cuts.

2010 April - Ten-year bond yields leap above 8.5 percent, the highest since Greece adopted the euro in 2001. With public debt at 350 billion euros and Greece essentially unable to borrow on debt markets, Greece appeals for aid from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund.

2010 May 2 – First bail out package. Greece becomes the first Eurozone country to receive a bailout as the EU and IMF agree to a 110 billion euro package of loans.

2010 May 5 – A nationwide strike is called. All traffic in and out of the country cease and schools, some hospitals, and a lot of private businesses remain closed. Hundreds of thousands of people march in Athens in one of the largest demonstrations in Greece since 1973. Protesters clash with riot police and buildings are set on fire including a Marfin Bank branch on Stadiou Street. Three people, who had gone to work despite the general strike over fears of losing their jobs, are subsequently found dead of asphyxiation from toxic fumes.

2010 May 25 – Responding to a Facebook call “Indignants at Syntagma,” people without any political affiliation, gather at the upper part of Syntagma Square forming what is known as the Indignant Citizens Movement. “Direct Democracy Now” movement, a Greek citizen grassroots organization, occupies the lower part of Syntagma square and starts holding peoples’ assemblies which function as a platform for the exchange of ideas. The movement is the first major political entity formed by citizens that doesn’t support any of the traditional political parties of Greece.

2011 June 28 to 29 – The Medium Term Fiscal Strategy 2011-2015 was passed in parliament with 155 positive, 138 negative votes, and 5 "present." During a 48-hour general strike called by the unions, tens of thousands of protesters march on Parliament to oppose government efforts to pass the new austerity laws. Violent clashes occur between activists and riot police who make excessive use of expired [and carcinogenic] chemical substances. Police brutality is reported by Greek press and international media including the BBC, The Guardian, CNN report and The New York Times, as well as Amnesty International.

2011 July 20 – European Union leaders agree on a major bailout for Greece over its debt crisis by channeling 109 billion euros through the European Financial Stability Facility. All three main credit ratings agencies put Greece's rating at a level associated with a substantial risk of default.

2011 October 27 – As the economic situation of Greece deteriorates, the Eurozone prepares a second loan package of 130 billion euros worth. In addition, private sector creditors agree to write off more than 100 billion euros, about a 50% of the debt, in return for further austerity measures. PM George Papandreou puts the deal in doubt by announcing a referendum on the rescue package.

2011 November – PM Papandreou withdraws his referendum plan and announces his resignation. On November 10, Lucas Papademos, a technocrat, former governor of the Bank of Greece, becomes interim Prime Minister of the conservative NEW DEMOCRACY and the socialist PASOK coalition.

2012 February 12 – Amidst violent protests in the streets of Athens, the Greek Parliament approves a new package of tough austerity measures agreed on with the EU, in exchange for a 130 billion euro bailout. Protesters clash with riot police that uses extensive amounts of tear gas and stun grenades while the protesters hurl stones and Molotov cocktails. 45 buildings are set ablaze and 25 protesters and 40 police officers are injured.

2012 February 21 – The Eurozone approves Greece's second bailout package of 130 billion euros.

2012 May 6 – The two parties that support austerity measures, the socialist PASOK and the conservative NEW DEMOCRACY suffer losses in early elections while the anti-austerity parties, the leftist SYRIZA coalition and the far-right GOLDEN DAWN party receive increased support, with GOLDEN DAWN basing its campaign on anti migrant sentiments. As the three top-ranking parties fail to form a working coalition, President Papoulias calls fresh elections for June 17.

2012 June 17 – Without a majority, NEW DEMOCRACY wins the elections and returns to power, forming a coalition government with PASOK and a small leftist party, DIMAR. Antonis Samaras is the new Prime Minister.

2013 January – Unemployment rises to 26.8% - the highest rate in the EU, with youth unemployment climbing to almost 60% in April.

2013 June 11 – Government suspends state broadcaster ERT announcing the laying off of the company’s 2,656 employees. ERT continues broadcasting on the Internet by former ERT employees demanding the reopening of the organization. On November 7, 2013 ERT’s broadcasting facilities are forcibly evacuated. ERT will reopen on April 28, 2015 by the coalition government of SYRIZA and INDEPENDENT GREEKS party (ANEL).

2013 September 28 – Government launches a crackdown on far-right GOLDEN DAWN party after the killing of Pavlos Fissas, an anti-fascist rapper, by a GOLDEN DAWN member on September 18 in the western Athens district of Keratsini. Party leader Nikolaos Michaloliakos and five other MPs are arrested on charges including assault, money laundering and belonging to a criminal organization.

2014 February – Greek unemployment reaches a record high of 28%.

2014 May 25 – Anti-austerity, leftist SYRIZA coalition wins European election with 26.6% of the vote.

2014 December 29 – Elections are announced to take place on January 25, 2015 after parliament's failure to elect, in three ballots, a new President of the Republic.

2015 January 25 – Alexis Tsipras becomes Prime Minister after SYRIZA wins parliamentary elections, and he forms a coalition government with ANEL.

2015 June 26 – Negotiations with Eurozone collapse. Alexis Tsipras rejects the terms offered by the Eurozone and the IMF and he announces a referendum to take place on July 5. (The Greek Parliament formally votes to hold the referendum on June 27.)

2015 June 30 – Greece shut its banks and imposes capital controls.

2015 July 5 –The bailout conditions proposed by the creditors are rejected by a majority of 61.31% to 38.69% approving, with the NO vote winning in all of Greece's regions.

2015 August 20 – The European Commission signs an extraordinarily detailed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Greece for further stability support, accompanied by a third economic austerity program in exchange for a financial assistance package of 86 billion euros to Greece over three years (2015-2018).

2015 August 20 – Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras announces his resignation and calls an early election.

2015 September 20 – SYRIZA wins a storming victory with only 6 seats short of an absolute majority. Alexis Tsipras reforms his coalition government with ANEL.

Sources: Greek press, Wikipedia, Routers and the BBC