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Greek PM wins confidence vote

China.org.cn, November 5, 2011

• Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou survived a crucial confidence vote in parliament early Saturday, diminishing the possibility of calling early general elections in the debt-laden Southern European country.

  Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou addresses the parliament ahead of a crunch confidence vote in Athens, Greece, Nov. 4, 2011. Papandreou on Friday told parliament that he is calling for a "broader coalition" in order to help the country tackle the ongoing debt crisis. [Xinhua/Marios Lolos]

  
  
  

  Emerging from the ballot, Prime Minister George Papandreou pledged to form a unity government with a broader consensus, regardless of whether he would lead it, implying that he was ready to step aside. But the talks would be difficult as opposition parties responded to the outcome of the vote with mixed reactions.

  Main opposition leader Antonis Samaras of the New Democracy (ND) party insisted on his call for creating an interim government with a limited term that will lead Greece to snap elections by year end.

  However, two other right-wing parties left open the window of possible cooperation with Papandreou. They expressed doubt though whether a national unity cabinet without the support of ND could push through in the parliament in coming weeks the necessary draft bills and the Oct. 26 EU deal on further vital aid to Greece to avert a default that could rock the eurozone.

  Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos clarified that the national unity government should last at least until February and then Greece could go to national elections.

  All 152 ruling socialist PASOK party lawmakers eventually supported the government in the ballot, despite an open rebellion by cabinet ministers that erupted on Thursday over the prime minister's shock announcement to call a referendum on the EU aid package.

  The referendum plan alarmed Eurozone members who fear a possible Greek default or exit from the currency bloc could further wreck the bloc's already-troubled economy. The prime minister was forced to scrap the plan under heavy pressure earlier on Friday .

  In Athens, ordinary citizens expressed anxiety despite the outcome of the confidence vote.

  "The country's problems will not be solved overnight. We need unity to address the challenge. When our leaders fight over power while default is so close, we can only feel anger and depression," Maria Armeniakou, a middle-aged office secretary, told Xinhua outside the parliament.

  Saturday's narrow victory is expected to mean that Greece will get its next tranche of money from a separate international agreement brokered in May 2010, allowing it to pay its bills next month and avoid immediate default.

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