Mr.Panayotis Pikramenos, Head of the State Council, whose name in Greek means “embittered”, has been appointed caretaker Prime Minister till  new elections on June 17.

Mr. Panayotis Pikrammenos

The decision for the new elections was reached on the 15th of May after all efforts to form a government failed. There is a bitter struggle going on among the political parties to blame each other for this failure and especially SYRIZA (Coalition of Radical Left). The mood of the Greek citizens, tired of the fruitless austerity measures, humiliated by the attitude of its European partners, living in a state of fear craftily cultivated by government circles is impatient and changeable. The results of the May 6 elections have shaken the two parties that have governed Greece for the last 30 years. Three opinion polls that have been published in the last week all show that SYRIZA will be the big winner of the new elections but whether we shall have a government is still uncertain. SYRIZA has made it clear that it aims for a left wing government, a difficult task since the Communist Party of Greece has refused point blanc to take part in government and the other left wing formations do not have the necessary parliamentary power.