EUROPE’S charge-sheet against Antonis Samaras has lengthened with each turn of the Greek crisis. As leader of the-then opposition New Democracy, his refusal to support the first bail-out was seen as crippling. Later on, when he backed the unity government of Lucas Papademos, Mr Samaras was evasive about the second rescue. And by forcing early elections this year, he was blamed for opening the door to extremists of all stripes. Would it not be better, some thought, if Greece just left the euro?These days, as prime minister, Mr Samaras has started to command a measure of respect. After a meeting of euro-zone finance ministers this week, their president, Jean-Claude Juncker, went out of his way to praise the Greek leader: “I am impressed…The Greek government is behaving, I do think, in an admirable way.” The visit to Athens this week by the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, (see
article) is the clearest signal yet that “Grexit” is no longer on her mind. One reason for embracing Mr Samaras is that he is the lesser evil, given the...
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