Greek leaders unable to agree on new prime minister

The leaders of Greece’s main political parties have broken off talks on forming a national unity government without agreeing on who will succeed George Papandreou as prime minister.

Papandreou, who has said he will resign once a new government is formed, said today that a deal on an interim unity government had been reached.

But a meeting involving Karolos Papoulias, Greece’s president, Papandreou, Antonis Samaras, the leader of the centre-right opposition party New Democracy, and the leaders of two smaller left-wing parties, failed to produce agreement on new prime minister.

Papandreou said in a televised address that the national unity government would “do whatever is required not only to remain in the euro” but also to implement an agreement on a package of measures reached by EU and eurozone leaders on 27 October in Brussels. That package includes a €130 billion bail-out for Greece.

Papandreou said the new government would have a “very specific roadmap” for approving the agreement with the EU and implementing reforms requested by the European Commission, the International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank.

Lucas Papademos, a former vice-president of the European Central Bank, had been tipped as the most likely replacement for Papandreou during negotiations on Tuesday (8 November).

Greek media reported on Wednesday that Filippos Petsalnikos, the speaker of the Greek parliament and a former justice minister, had emerged as a new frontrunner for the post of prime minister.

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Talks will continue tomorrow morning.