Samaras Seeks Greek Unity on Cuts After Career Stoking Divisions
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Europe has told Greece to unite behind a faltering austerity program to stay in the euro. Antonis Samaras, poised to become Greek premier, has a history of stoking divisions inside and outside his New Democracy party.
Samaras, 61, rejected Greece’s bailout in 2010 and used the required budget cuts to hammer the Socialist Pasok government. He kicked a rival out of his party for backing that program before winning election this week as a champion of belt-tightening. His brinkmanship led European Commission President Jose Barroso to tell Samaras in November to stop playing “political games.”