New Democracy’s provisional president Evangelos Meimarakis received an exploratory mandate from President Prokopis Pavlopoulos on Friday morning and told journalists that general elections are a “last resort and do not help the country”.
Mr. Meimarakis hinted that the “interests and political complexities” may be behind the Prime Minister’s decision to resign and call a snap election and noted that he would examine the possibility of forming a government with a SYRIZA officer other than Mr. Tsipras as Prime Minister.
“He is quitting, he is surrendering the weapons, he is throwing away the shield. At this point I don’t even want to meet [Alexis Tsipras]” he further told journalists, adding that he and his party will be prepared for the upcoming election standoff.
According to the Constitution, Mr. Meimarakis will have three days ahead of him, in which time he is planning to meet with the head of the River Stavros Theodorakis, PASOK president Fofi Gennimata, the secretary general of the Communist Party Dimitris Koutsoumpas and possibly with Panagiotis Lafazanis, whom he praised in his press conference, after the PM’s annoucement.
The New Democracy leader also hinted that he may meet with Golden Dawn leader Nikos Michaloliakos after discussing the mater with his party’s bodies. He does not, however, appear prepared to meet with Independent Greeks leader Panos Kammenos, arguing that his party is unlikely to make it in Parliament in the upcoming election.
