With the leader of the Popular Union Panagiotis Lafazanis not expected to form a government by Thursday – when the exploratory mandate he was handed expires – the President of the Hellenic Republic Prokopis Pavlopoulos appears determined to dissolve Parliament and appoint a caretaker government on Friday, while setting general elections for the 20th of September.
The President will also contact the political leaders on Thursday, in order to arrange a council meeting, however so far the president of SYRIZA Alexis Tsipras, the president of the Independent Greeks Panos Kammenos and the Secretary General of the Communist Party Dimitris Koutsoumpas have already announced that they will not participate.
On the contrary, the provisional leader of New Democracy Evangelos Meimarakis, the head of the River Stavros Theodorakis, the president of PASOK Fofi Gennimata and the president of the Popular Union Panagiotis Lafazanis will ask the President to call the meeting of political leaders, soon after Mr. Lafazanis’ exploratory mandate expires.
Although Mr. Meimarakis is pressuring for the meeting to be called, the Constitutional provisions underline that the meeting cannot take place unless all leaders attend. Should this ultimately be the case, To Vima has been informed that the President will make a statement detailing the reasons the council meeting will not called.
The caretaker government will also be appointed on Friday, where the President of the Supreme Court Vasiliki Thanou will act as Prime Minister. Talks are currently under way with candidates for critical Ministries, such as Finances, Foreign Affairs and National Defense and while reports suggest that nobody from the current cabinet will carry on, there might be some exceptions. Should any emergencies arise (such as European Summit meeting), the country will be represented by President Pavlopoulos.
