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Greece in precarious position as leaders scrambles for coalition government
By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
May 14th, 2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)
May 14th, 2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)
In a crucial meeting with the Greek president, the leaders of three political parties have met to attempt to broker a deal for a coalition government and break the deadlock of elections that have left the country in politically stalemated.
Papoulias invited politicians from the biggest three parties to return to the presidential mansion, along with a small leftist group after a round of fruitless negotiations on Sunday.
The Radical Left Coalition (Syriza) bloc, which finished second in May 6 elections with 16.8 percent announced that it would refuse to join a coalition government.
"Syriza refuses to be a left-wing alibi for a government that will continue the policies the people rejected on May 6," Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras has been quoted as saying.
Tsipras said he would not join or support a pro-bailout coalition government, saying he could not agree to what he termed a mistake.
Greece's political landscape has lain in chaos for a week since an inconclusive election left parliament divided between supporters and opponents of the 130 billion euro EU/IMF bailout, with neither side able to form a government.
In a final effort to negotiate an agreement and break the deadlock, President Papoulias is making a last ditch effort. He can call a new election if he cannot persuade the different sides to compromise.
The anti-bailout vote was divided among small parties but has now rallied behind Tsipras, who emerged as a popular candidate. Polls show he would now place first if the vote is repeated, a prize that comes with a bonus of 50 extra seats in the 300-seat parliament.
"Despite the impasse at the meeting we had with the president, I hold on to some limited optimism that a government can be formed," Evangelos Venizelos, Socialist leader said.
Tsipras says he wants to keep Greece in the euro -- but the bailout must be torn up. European leaders say that would require them to cut off funding, allows Greece to go bankrupt and eject it from the European single currency.
After meeting with Papoulias and the conservative and socialist leaders, Tsipras made a bold statement in regards to the coalition offer: "They are not asking for agreement, they are asking us to be their partners in crime and we will not be their accomplices."
© 2012, Catholic Online. Distributed by NEWS CONSORTIUM.