A Greek opposition leader is calling for creation of a transition government to prepare for early elections, rather than allow Prime Minister George Papandreou to hold a nationwide vote on a European Union bailout package for the country.
Antonis Samaras said Thursday that the sole purpose of the transitional government would be to conduct elections immediately and validate the bailout deal agreed to by European leaders last week. He spoke on the eve of a parliamentary vote of confidence.
Mr. Papandreou called for the referendum and the vote of confidence in order to help quell public backlash against deeply unpopular austerity measures that are part of the bailout package. He held an emergency Cabinet meeting on Thursday, as lawmakers in his ruling Socialist party threatened to abandon his government over his controversial referendum plan.
Analysts question whether Mr. Papandreou can survive until Friday’s vote of confidence. At least one member of the ruling PASOK party, lawmaker Eva Kaili, says she will not support him in the vote, leaving the prime minister with only a one-seat majority in the 300-member parliament.
Another socialist lawmaker, Dimitris Lintzeris, said Thursday that Mr. Papandreou is “history,” and called for a national unity government to be formed.
Earlier Thursday, Greek Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos broke ranks with Mr. Papandreou on the referendum proposal, saying Greece’s “historic” status in the eurozone should not be determined by a popular vote.
Other Greek Cabinet ministers have previously given their support for the referendum plan.
Mr. Papandreou, who has faced enormous international opposition to the plan, said on Wednesday that Greece’s future in the eurozone is at stake in the vote, but he said he is confident that the citizens of Greece will choose to remain in the eurozone.
European leaders have warned Greece that if it does not follow the terms of the bailout package, it will get no more EU funding.
On the street, some Greek citizens say they want the euro, but they fear future hardships.