Clock Ticking, Greek Far Left Says No Coalition

Refusal means new elections, more uncertainty likely
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted May 13, 2012 7:39 AM CDT
Clock Ticking, Greek Far Left Says No Coalition
Greek President Karolos Papoulias looks on before his meeting with Greek Socialist leader Evangelos Venizelos in Athens, Saturday, May 12, 2012.   (Aris Messinis)

Greek radical left leader Alexis Tsipras says he will not join or support a pro-bailout coalition government, saying he cannot agree to what he terms a mistake. His continued refusal makes new elections in the crisis-struck country more likely. Tsipras made the comments today after attending a meeting convened by President Karolos Papoulias with the head of the conservative New Democracy and socialist PASOK parties. Papoulias is making a last-ditch effort to broker an agreement and break the deadlock created by the elections, which left no party with enough parliamentary seats to form a government.

If no deal is reached, Greece must hold new elections next month, prolonging the political uncertainty and endangering the country's euro membership. (More Greece stories.)

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