Samaras’s Search for 25 Votes to Save Greek Government
This article is for subscribers only.
Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras is broadening his support in parliament with less than a week to go before his first attempt to elect a new president and avoid an early election in Europe’s most indebted state.
Eight independent lawmakers said in interviews this week they are ready to back Samaras’s nominee, Stavros Dimas. That leaves the premier to find another 17 votes from the 300-seat chamber to reach the supermajority he needs to elect a new head of state. In the first two rounds of voting beginning on Dec. 17 the threshold is 200 votes before it drops to 180 on Dec. 29.