Greek PM warns of national danger amid vote

Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras has warned of national danger, if lawmakers fail to elect a new president in a third and final round of voting.

Samaras made the comments shortly after lawmakers rejected the pro-austerity presidential candidate, Stavros Dimas, in the second round of voting on Tuesday.

The prime minister said the third round of voting would be even harder, as parliamentarians will be held accountable for their vote.

“I sincerely hope that in the last ballot we will be able to avoid a national hazard, a national misadventure,” said Samaras.

The leader of the main opposition Syriza party, Alexis Tsipras, denounced Samaras’ comments, saying neither the parliament nor Greeks will give Samaras a blank cheque to continue with the bailout agreement and austerity measures.

On Tuesday, 168 lawmakers voted in favor of Dimas as president, while 131 cast blank votes, which count against the candidate, and one abstained.

The Greek parliament will now convene for the decisive third round on December 29, when Samaras needs to garner 180 votes in the 300-seat assembly.

Otherwise, the parliament will be dissolved and a general election called in a month.

Greece opposition, including the Syriza party, is pushing for early elections, saying the debt-ridden country must renegotiate its bailout program with international creditors.

The government would be brought down if lawmakers cannot eventually break the deadlock and elect the country’s new president.

According to the Greek Constitution, the parliament selects the president, who is nominated by the prime minister.

The first round of the vote by the 300-member parliament to replace Greek President Karolos Papoulias was held on December 17. The only candidate was Dimas, who secured 160 votes – 40 short of an outright win.