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WORLD NEWSSaturday 22 August 2015
Greek election looms as parties struggle to form government
ELENA BECATOROS Outgoing Greek Prime minister Alexis Tsipras arrives at the headquarters in Athens, on Fri- bailout’s ratification in par-
Associated Press day, Aug. 21, 2015. Greece’s president asked the main opposition party Friday to try to form liament last week, which
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — a new government, a day after Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras resigned and called an early was only approved with
Greece’s main opposition election next month to deal with a governing party rebellion over Greece’s third bailout deal. backing from opposition
party launched efforts to (Costas Baltas/ InTime News via AP) parties. Faced with such
form a new government dissent, it became only a
Friday following Prime Min- majority he could have to with a new government ing that the budget sav- matter of time before Tsip-
ister Alexis Tsipras’ resigna- seek a new coalition. that would not be hobbled ings and reforms Tsipras ras called an election or
tion, but made no progress His decision to call a vote by internal dissent. agreed to for the bailout confidence vote to confirm
in what appears a doomed so early — just hours after The rebels announced Fri- Iare exactly what they had his mandate to implement
task — which will pave the Greece started tapping day they were splitting to vowed to fight when they the bailout reforms.
way for another potentially loans from its 86 billion euro form their own anti-austeri- came to power with Syriza Some analysts are con-
destabilizing election. ($95 billion) rescue pro- ty movement. in January. cerned that the election
Tsipras resigned late Thurs- gram — amounts to a bet They want to scrap the About one in four Syriza law- could delay reforms need-
day and called an early that he can regain power bailout altogether, argu- makers refused to back the ed to get rescue loans,
election next month to which are only disbursed
deal with a rebellion in his after quarterly reviews.
radical left Syriza party over “A September election
the terms of Greece’s new would occur before the first
bailout deal. program review in October
Although no date has and may well hamper and
been set, outgoing govern- delay the technical work
ment spokeswoman Olga and political decisions nec-
Gerovassili said Friday she essary for its completion,”
expects Greeks will go to said the Fitch ratings agen-
the polls on Sept. 20. cy.
The opposition has few “The likely pause in legislat-
chances of uniting and ing for reforms during the
forming a government, election campaign com-
meaning that after more ing so soon after the agree-
than five years of a worsen- ment was concluded may
ing financial crisis, Greece rekindle or reinforce some
is headed for its fifth na- creditors’ concerns about
tional election in six years. Greece’s ability to meet
Tsipras is widely tipped to the program’s require-
win the vote, though if he ments,” Fitch said.q
fails to secure an outright
Turkey’s Erdogan says he will call a new election for Nov. 1
SUZAN FRASER Davutoglu abandoned ef- obstructing the coalition- five months after the last PKK. Last month, Turkish jets
Associated press building efforts, a charge polls may not alter the dis- raided IS targets in Syria and
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — forts to build a coalition Erdogan denies. tribution of seats too much PKK targets in Iraq while U.S.
Turkish President Recep Erdogan appears to be and a majority for the ruling jets also launched their first
Tayyip Erdogan said Friday government, following betting that a new ballot party is far from guaran- airstrikes against IS targets
that the nation will hold an could revive the fortunes of teed. from a Turkish air base near
early election Nov. 1, after the failure of talks with the the Islamic-rooted Justice News of the new election Syria.
no group won a majority and Development Party, or comes amid escalating Opponents have accused
from voters in June and Er- leaders of two smaller par- AKP, he founded and led violence between Turkey’s Erdogan of attacking the
dogan’s party was unable for more than a decade, security forces and Kurd- PKK in a bid to win nation-
to find a coalition partner. ties. The ruling party lost its and thus put him back on ish rebels, and as Turkey is alists’ support and discredit
Erdogan said he will meet course to reshape Turkey’s taking a more active role a pro-Kurdish party, whose
with the parliament speak- parliamentary majority in democracy into a system in the U.S.-led campaign gains in the June elections
er on Monday, the day af- where the president would against Islamic State group deprived the ruling party of
ter the deadline for form- June for the first time since have executive powers. extremists. its majority.
ing a new government, to A coalition government Dozens of people have The political uncertainty
complete the formalities. it came to power in 2002, would also have limited his been killed in renewed caused the Turkish lira to
The widely expected an- ability to influence the gov- clashes between Turkey’s drop to record lows against
nouncement comes days forcing it to seek a coalition ernment. military and rebels of the the dollar this week.q
after Prime Minister Ahmet But a new election held just Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or
alliance.
The June result was a slap
to Erdogan’s ambitions to
increase the powers of the
largely ceremonial presi-
dency. He is believed to
have favored a new elec-
tion, and Turkey’s main
opposition leader has ac-
cused the president of
