Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou has reached a deal on a new coalition government with opposition leader Antonis Samaras, MSNBC is reporting. The two reached the agreement after they spoke with Greek President Karolos Papoulias in an effort to break a political deadlock. They also aimed to reach a deal for a national unity government demanded by Greece’s European partners.
Papandreou and Samaras will meet again on November 7, 2011 to discuss who will lead the new coalition government, as it has been decided that the prime minister won’t lead the new administration. There also hasn’t been any mention of how long the interim government will last.
Greece was given 24 hours by the European Union to explain how it will form a unity government. Papadreou and his opponents have been trying to put a deal together to prove that Greece is serious about saving its economy, and enacting a bailout agreement.
The current crisis over Greece was sparked when Papadreou, who has said that he will resign as prime minister, at Samaras’ insistence, that he wanted to put a new European debt deal aimed at rescuing the country’s economy to a referendum. French and German leaders said any popular vote in Greece will decide whether the country will remain in the euro. European officials also said it wouldn’t give Greece any more money until the uncertainty in Athens was over.
Papadreou withdrew his controversial referendum plan after Samaras indicated he would back the new debt plan. Greek officials are hoping to have a deal on a new interim government, after the country attends a meeting of eurozone finance ministers in Brussels.
Written by: Karen Benardello
