Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou survived on Saturday a crucial parliamentary confidence vote but failed to end uncertainty in the debt-burdened country.
Papandreou’s government found itself on the brink of collapse after a week of political turmoil in Athens that horrified the indebted country’s European partners and overshadowed the Group of 20 summit in the French resort of Cannes.
A total of 153 lawmakers, including all MPs from Papandreou’s parliamentary faction and one former faction member, backed the government. Out of 298 MPs who took part in Saturday’s vote, 145 voted to dissolve Papandreou’s Cabinet.
Ahead of the vote, Papandreou promissed to seek a cross-party government lasting four months to safeguard Europe’s new debt agreement. The opposition, however, rejected the proposal and called for early elections, which Papandreou said would be “catastrophic” for the country.
International pressure and a looming collapse of his government forced Papandreou on Thursday to abandon his plans to hold the referendum on the new 130-billion-euro rescue package for Greece, which was approved by euro zone leaders on October 26.
Papandreou’s referendum proposal, announced earlier this week to the surprise of everyone, including his own ministers, triggered international turmoil, with European leaders threatening to expel Greece from the euro zone if the new bailout package, which requires the Greek government to implement new tough austerity measures, is rejected in the popular vote.
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I am outraged !!!Wow! Papandreou flilany wants the the people to decide ? hahahaha!LMAO!!! (laughing my ass off! )what a spineless f###cker and douche!!!??he screwed you greeks BIG TIME and now even wants permission to take all the shiton the people, as if he had nothing to with it ??????????????well, thats so pathetic, I just canb4t believe it !!!! what a tricky guy !Well, my greek friends you gotta find a way to f###ck him right back, to where he belongs and can no longer do any harm to you you got to take on exactely HIM somehow ?????this is f####cking ridiculous !!!!!!!! and is in no way offering any real choice for you.You are fu###cked anyways, but at least you could serve your pride by acknowledging, you donb4t buy this incredible brainwashing shit!!!please!, keep a cool head, think twice!!! .. but bring this f###ck.ing PAPA-crook down in the first place Plus- Mr. VENIZELOS !!! !!!actually this out of pure Angst pushed forward referendum is a declaration of war as a last resort, against the TROIKA .. ok .but you Greek People got to think VERY carefully and strategically, as a people , whichoutcome you really, actually prefer!!!If you vote against austerity (which is more than understandable!), you will be made responsible for the break down of the whole EU (which is ok with me ) but you will be CURSED and avoided as a nation for the next 50 years or so if you show some spine and vote contradictory to what TPTB expect you to do anyways (like.. YES, we donb4t want all that .. no way ), . you CAN change paradigms all over Europe if you resist to fall for that stupid, ridiculous behavior of you president, thats playing you brainwashed sheople .DONb4T YOU SEE, HOW YOU ARE BEING PLAYED ?????LET this guy fail with all his lies !!!!defend and conquer your country, your freedom back, but based upon WISDOM! and not only Vendetta a tightrope walk, I know !!!before that lleged referendum get rid of Papandreou and all the croks in your parliament!If you do so and achieve it HELP AND SUPPORT from all angles of the other just as rape, or betrayed European countries will be a given! Just because Giabo will take its toll EVERYWHERE!!!!Donb4t give in! Donb4t give up! BUT THINK!!!Donb4t get screwed once again and take the rest with you! if you possibly can .b4cause THATS EXACTELY WHAT THEY WANT!!!!May the force be with you!LoveVon!PS: trying to respond to some of you, especially as Maria stay tuned please !