New Democracy party asked to form Greek government
June 18th, 2012 - 7:58 pm ICT by IANSAthens, June 18 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Greece President Karolos Papoulias has tasked Antonis Samaras, the head of the conservative New Democracy party, with forming a government, according to Greek state television.
New Democracy won 129 of the 300 parliamentary seats in Sunday’s vote, opening the way to a coalition with the third placed socialist party, Pasok, which has 33.
New Democracy and Pasok have pledged to implement an austerity programme in bailout deals worth over 200 billion euros, with the European Union and International Monetary Fund, to avert Greek bankruptcy.
The leftist Syriza party, which placed second, has refused to join a coalition and declared itself in firm opposition to the bailout deal.
“The Greek people expressed their will to stay anchored with the euro, remain an integral part of the eurozone and honour the country’s commitments,” Samaras said Sunday.
“There is no time for petty politics.”
–IANS/RIA Novosti
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Tags: antonis, austerity, bailout, commitments, democracy party, dg, european union, eurozone, greek government, greek state, honour, international monetary fund, karolos papoulias, new democracy, parliamentary seats, petty politics, ria novosti, socialist party pasok, state television, syriza