Greek election looms as left parties shun coalition
Greece’s radical leftist leader spurned an invitation from the president for a final round of coalition talks on Monday, all but ensuring a new election that he is poised to win.
Greece’s political landscape has been in disarray for a week since an inconclusive election left parliament divided between supporters and opponents of the 130bn euro (£104.6bn) EU/IMF bailout, with neither side able to form a government.
Government officials have warned that Greece could run out of cash as early as the end of June if it does not have a government in place to negotiate the next aid tranche with its lenders.
“The country is up in the air,” financial daily Imerisia wrote on its front page, warning in an editorial: “The country is moving to the brink of collapse and hopes for restoring the political stability are fading away.”
President Karolos Papoulias must call a new election if he cannot persuade leaders to compromise.