Greece names new cabinet

GREECE has named a new cabinet to end two months of political deadlock, saying it will aim to revise the terms of an unpopular EU-IMF bailout deal without risking its eurozone membership.

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Greece's Euro-zone Partners Want to See Reforms Before Softening ...

Greece's Euro-zone Partners Want to See Reforms Before Softening ... Wall Street Journal LUXEMBOURG--Greece's euro-zone partners struck a largely uncompromising tone Thursday, saying the country should first make progress on its long-delayed ...

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Analysis: New Greek government strikes new course on bailout

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece's new government has been sounding strangely like its defeated anti-austerity opponents since it came to power this week on a pledge to remain in the euro zone and uphold its commitments to foreign creditors.

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Greek coalition government unveiled

Former anti-junta activist Vassilis Rapanos named finance minister in cabinet that new PM says will be long-lived

A new coalition government has been announced in Greece, as eurozone finance ministers met in Luxembourg.

In a surprise move, Vassilis Rapanos, a renowned economist with a radical past as an anti-junta activist, was given the post of finance minister.

With the country's future in the eurozone hanging in the balance despite the elevation to power of pro-European parties in Athens, Rapanos's appointment was greeted with enthusiasm.

"He's absolutely right for the post, he's one of the best we have," said Pandelis Kapsis, a prominent political commentator who served as spokesman for the emergency administration lead by Lucas Papademos until last month.

"As chairman of the National Bank of Greece he knows how the banking system works but he also has a great deal of experience and knowledge of our country's public finances," Kapsis said.

The cabinet's appointment was met with relief among Greeks exhausted by weeks of political paralysis since inconclusive elections in May. On Sunday the centre-right New Democracy party came out on top in fresh elections but failed to clinch an outright majority.

Under intense pressure from foreign lenders keeping the economy afloat, Greece's squabbling political elite put differences aside to create a three-party alliance led by the conservatives under the new prime minister, Antonis Samaras.

The 38-strong cabinet was dominated by New Democrats after its two minority partners, Pasok and Democratic Left, agreed their MPs would support the government but not participate in it.

With the exception of three ministers, including Rapanos, who were appointed at the behest of the junior parties, all were well known conservative politicians. In an attempt to allay fears that the government marked a return to the old order, several members were young and untried.

Samaras, who was to convene the cabinet's first meeting after a swearing-in ceremony, said he expected the administration would be long-lived and fulfil its four-year term. He faces a high-wire act of appeasing Greeks who despair of austerity measures and meeting the commitments Athens has signed up to in exchange for financial assistance.

Berlin, which has bankrolled most of the two bailout programmes that have propped up the Greek economy since May 2010, has made clear that punishing reforms will have to be made if Athens is to continue receiving funds. Foreign creditors have called on Greece to enact €12bn in further spending cuts next month.

All three parties in the new government want to renegotiate the bailout accord, once again putting Greece on a potential collision course with creditors. Officials said Giorgos Zanias, the outgoing finance minister who represented Greece at Thursday's euro group meeting in Luxembourg, would raise the issue of amending the austerity measures, citing fears of a descent into social chaos and collapse if Greeks are pushed too hard.

Dimitris Keridis, professor of political science at Panteion University in Athens, said: "The secret to this government surviving will be trust among the three partners. If they fragment the only beneficiary will be [the main opposition] Syriza. It won't be easy in a political culture that is not used to coalitions and in a country that faces such tough decisions."

• Greece
• Europe
• Eurozone crisis

Helena Smith

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Greece swears in new government

Atlanta Journal Constitution

Greece swears in new government CNN Greece swore in a new Cabinet on Thursday, putting an elected government in charge of the country for the first time in 224 days. Greece names prominent banker Rapanos as new finance ministerFox News Greece names banker Rapanos as finance ministerAtlanta Journal Constitution A new government for Greece, but no new austerity dealGlobe and Mail Philadelphia Inquirer -Washington Post all 11,941 news articles »

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Greek extremists accused of anti-immigrant attacks

An immigrant rights group on Thursday accused a Greek far-right party of being behind hundreds of violent attacks on immigrants as part of a stepped-up "terror campaign" aimed at driving them out of the country.

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Greece's coalition: A clean broom?

The new Greek government, formed after four days of horse-trading by three party leaders, is the country's first coalition in 60 years. Since 1952, a combination of electoral systems and political polarization produced a comfortable single party majority every time an election was held in Greece.

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New Greek prime minister after month of uncertainty

Christian Science Monitor

New Greek prime minister after month of uncertainty Christian Science Monitor Antonis Samaras is the fourth prime minister in eight months; he faces the daunting task of resolving Greece's economic woes.

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Greek gov't pledges to safeguard euro membership

Greece's new conservative-led coalition government on Thursday pledged to try and revise the country's austerity commitments to its creditors, but insisted that would not endanger ties with the rest of Europe or Greek use of the euro currency.

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New Greek PM Antonis Samaras names cabinet members

Greece's new conservative-led coalition government named its Cabinet today, appointing a prominent banker to take over the key position of finance minister.

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The diplomatic Olympics: Five-ring circus

WHEN asked why the United States is a fine place, few would instinctively mention its hosting of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. Greece’s status as an economic and political pariah has not been greatly eased by fond memories of Athens 2004. Still, in the unquantifiable world of soft power, hosting an Olympic games is a big deal. Some 100 presidents, princes and other national leaders will flit by London at some point during the games, along with up to 40,000 journalists. Britain’s government hopes to change their view of the country, drum up investment and improve bilateral relations in what a foreign office official politely calls a “relatively unchallenging” forum. It is the political equivalent of corporate entertaining, only with a more expensive tent.Foreigners’ views of Britain have changed surprisingly little since the 1950s, when it was backing out of empire and giving up on hats. Respondents to the Anholt survey, an international poll to which diplomats pay attention, describe the country as nice but dull: a predictable, trustworthy place. As national stereotypes go this could be worse, but it is...

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Germany and the euro: Reform, or else

Think twice before you ask Angela for help

IF THE Greeks hoped their vote would mean a respite from German harangues, they were quickly disabused. There can be no “rebates” for Greece, said Angela Merkel, the chancellor. Greece must honour its obligations, added Wolfgang Schäuble, the finance minister. When Guido Westerwelle, the foreign minister, mused about shifting the “time axis” for Greek reforms, the government swiftly clarified that he was talking of weeks, not months. Bavaria’s premier, Horst Seehofer, even revealed that his Christian Social Union, part of Mrs Merkel’s government, wants a constitutional change to require a referendum each time Germany considers a bail-out.Mr Seehofer knows the result for Greece would be negative. That is why German policy on the euro is unlikely to change soon. As Germans, like all Europeans, struggle to understand the euro crisis, one storyline has replaced another. In the language of archetypes, Germans now seem to have changed from philhellenic good Europeans into bean-counting Swabian housewives.Thus in May 2010 most Germans said it was...

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Greek bailout wish-list sets up showdown with Europe

Greek bailout wish-list sets up showdown with Europe Reuters ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece's new government promised on Thursday to renegotiate the terms of the country's bailout without endangering its future in the euro, ... and more »

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New Greek govt pledges to secure euro membership

New Greek govt pledges to secure euro membership Atlanta Journal Constitution ATHENS, Greece — Greece's new conservative-led coalition government on Thursday pledged to try and revise the country's austerity commitments to its ...

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Greece Decides Against Imposing Layoffs

Greece Decides Against Imposing Layoffs Wall Street Journal Greece's three-party coalition government decided not to proceed with public-sector layoffs, a decision that may send the nation on a collision course with ... and more »

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Greece Names New Cabinet, Rapanos Appointed Fin Min

Newsday

Greece Names New Cabinet, Rapanos Appointed Fin Min Wall Street Journal ATHENS--Greece Thursday announced a new cabinet that is strong on technocrats who are tasked with implementing the harsh austerity program needed to ... Greece names prominent banker Vasilis Rapanos as new finance ...Dayton Daily News all 12 news articles »

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Greek Government: Yes, We Want The Eurozone

ATHENS, June 21 (Reuters) - The new Greek government plans to revise the terms of its bailout from the European Union and the International Monetary...

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New Greek government unveils long-awaited cabinet

After weeks of political deadlock, Greece's conservative-led coalition government presented its list of cabinet ministers on Thursday. The leaders are to oversee harsh austerity measures in the country over the next four years.

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Greece names banker Rapanos as finance minister

The Associated Press

Greece names banker Rapanos as finance minister The Associated Press By NICHOLAS PAPHITIS, Associated Press – 1 minute ago. ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece's new conservative-led coalition government named its Cabinet ... Greece set to swear in new governmentCNN Greece Names New CabinetWall Street Journal Greece swears in new head of coalition effortPhiladelphia Inquirer Washington Post -Boston Herald all 11,764 news articles »

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EU Barroso: New Greek Govt Clear Signal of Greece's Commitment ...

EU Barroso: New Greek Govt Clear Signal of Greece's Commitment ... Wall Street Journal Greek conservative leader Antonis Samaras was sworn in as prime minister Wednesday at the head of a three-party-coalition that is tasked with carrying out the ... Greek cabinet formation signals euro commitment: BarrosoBusiness Recorder (blog) all 4 news articles »

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