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Greece confirms repeat elections on June 17

Xinhua, May 20, 2012

• Greece will hold a repeat general election on June 17 while the new parliament will convene on June 28, an official decree signed by Greek President Karolos Papoulias said on Saturday.

  "According to the article 36 of the Constitution, we dissolve the assembly that emerged from the May 6 national elections and call upon voters to vote for new deputies on June 17, so that the new parliament convenes on June 28," said the presidential decree.

  The statement came after party leaders failed to form a coalition government since the inconclusive election.

  The action opened formally the beginning of the new pre-election period. Shortly afterwards the conservative New Democracy (ND) party spokesperson Yannis Michelakis suggested a television debate ahead of the elections between ND leader Antonis Samaras and Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) chief Alexis Tsipras.

  The two parties that ranked first and second in the May 6 polls, with about 19 percent of votes versus 17 percent, are the strongest representatives of the pro-reform and anti-bailout political forces at the moment, as the latest opinion showed.

  Citing the opinion surveys that indicate that a divided assembly will emerge from the new polls as well, local analysts express worries that if parties fail to form a coalition government after the June 17 polls over different views on the economic policy, the country could sink in instability, a catastrophic default and leave the euro zone.

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