Word: papandreou
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After two inconclusive parliamentary ballots in six days, Greece's Socialist Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou succeeded last week in a bold move that left him at the pinnacle of his power. By mustering 180 votes in Parliament --the absolute minimum necessary--Papandreou saw to it that his candidate, Christos Sartzetakis, 56, was elected President. Sartzetakis replaces conservative Elder Statesman Constantine Caramanlis, 78, a prestigious counterweight to Papandreou who resigned March 10 after the Socialists withdrew support for his candidacy...
Sartzetakis' election created something of a constitutional conundrum. The deciding vote was cast by Yannis Alevras, a member of Papandreou's party, who became acting President once Caramanlis stepped down. The opposition New Democracy Party, which supports Caramanlis and abstained in the vote last week, charged that as acting President, Alevras was not eligible to vote, even though Papandreou had obtained parliamentary permission for him to do so. With no legally prescribed procedure on the books for deciding the question, Sartzetakis, a former Supreme Court Justice, was sworn in late last week; New Democracy members boycotted the ceremony...
...surprises that the unpredictable Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou has pulled since he came to power in 1981, last Saturday's announcement was among the most startling. Contrary to his own promises, Papandreou declared that his ruling socialist PASOK party would not support President Constantine Caramanlis, 78, for reelection later this month. The President immediately withdrew his candidacy...
...many Greeks, the conservative Caramanlis has served as a comforting balance to the leftist Papandreou. With Caramanlis in power, they reasoned, Papandreou could never enact his party's "strategic targets," which include withdrawing from NATO and closing down all U.S. bases in Greece. "It was a coup de theatre, in total disrespect for accepted political practices," said a stunned Greek newspaper editor...
...Papandreou had planned to back Caramanlis as a way of reassuring voters and thus ensuring his own victory in national elections scheduled for the fall. But opposition by militant members of PASOK persuaded Papandreou to change his mind at the last minute. Instead, the Prime Minister endorsed a moderate, Supreme Court Judge Christos Sartzetakis, for the post...