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First vote for president leaves coalition with uphill task to avoid snap elections
A total of 160 MPs backed the government's presidential candidate, Stavros Dimas, on Wednesday, which was one vote less than the coalition's most conservative estimates. Another 135 voted "present" and five were absent.
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First Greek presidential vote to set tempo for final ballot on Dec 29
The first round of the presidential ballot on Wednesday evening is unlikely to provide any clear indications about whether the current Greek Parliament will manage to elect a new head of state by the final vote on December 29.
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Coalition sets bar low for presidential vote, opts for pre-election rhetoric
The government appears to have set 165 as its target for the number of MPs’ votes it hopes to garner in the first presidential ballot on Wednesday.
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Opposition parties' stance on president provides gov't with little hope so far
Despite earlier speculation that Democratic Left (DIMAR) might disband so its members could join SYRIZA, the one-time coalition partner decided late on Wednesday that it would not make such a move. DIMAR also reaffirmed its decision not to vote for presidential candidate Stavros Dimas, making the chances of him being elected slimmer.
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Samaras, Venizelos opt for earlier presidential vote in high-risk strategy to save coalition
The government has decided to move forward by around two months the presidential vote in Parliament, with the first roll call ballot taking place on December 17, followed by the second three days later and the final round on December 29.
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Greek MPs pass 2015 budget but give few clues for presidential vote
The government won the vote for the 2015 budget in the early hours of Monday but the result provided few clues about how the presidential ballot, due in mid-February, could pan out.
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Machinations give both coalition and SYRIZA hope of winning presidential vote
The almost daily headcount of Greek MPs ahead of February's presidential elections is continuing to give a conflicting picture about how events may play out early next year.
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Two more parties prepare to step onto overcrowded Greek political stage
The fragmentation of Greek politics shows no sign of abating: The creation of another two parties – on opposite sides of the political spectrum – has been announced.
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Tsipras shuns growing calls for compromise on presidential vote
Despite a flurry of calls for the government and the opposition to come to a compromise over the presidential candidate, putting an end to speculation about early elections, SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras made it clear over the weekend that his party is in no mood to compromise.
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New bribe claims likely to poison Greek politics further ahead of presidential vote
Fresh claims of attempts to bribe opposition MPs ahead of February’s presidential vote have surfaced in Greek politics but there are doubts about whether they are well-founded and if they will have any discernable impact.