World

Greek lawmakers to vote in second round for president, as government threatened with collapse

Associated Press
Published | Updated

A Greek woman , center, who attended the second round of voting to elect a new Greek president, leaves the Parliament as she wears a T-shirt reading in Greek "You stink, traitors'' in Athens on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2014. Greek lawmakers have failed to elect the country's new president in a second round of voting, leaving the government with a final attempt next week to break an impasse that could force early elections. The conservative-led government's candidate, Stavros Dimas, received 168 votes in Tuesday's ballot, far short of the 200 needed for his election. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis) (The Associated Press)

Greece's Prime Minister Antonis Samaras looks over his shoulder as he attends the second round of voting to elect a new Greek president at the Parliament in Athens on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2014. Greek lawmakers have failed to elect the country’s new president in a second round of voting, leaving the government with a final attempt next week to break an impasse that could force early elections. The conservative-led government’s candidate, Stavros Dimas, received 168 votes in Tuesday’s ballot, far short of the 200 needed for his election. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis) (The Associated Press)

Greece's Prime Minister Antonis Samaras attends the second round of voting to elect a new Greek president at the Parliament in Athens on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2014. Greek lawmakers have failed to elect the country’s new president in a second round of voting, leaving the government with a final attempt next week to break an impasse that could force early elections. The conservative-led government’s candidate, Stavros Dimas, received 168 votes in Tuesday’s ballot, far short of the 200 needed for his election. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis) (The Associated Press)

Lawmakers in Greece are to vote again on the country's new president, in an attempt to break an impasse that could bring down the conservative government.

The vote in parliament scheduled midday Tuesday follows a ballot last week, when the government failed to gain enough support for its candidate, former EU commissioner Stavros Dimas.

The government needs to attract opposition support for Dimas to get elected, and at the weekend offered to set a timetable for an early general election before the end of 2015.

The left-wing Syriza party, leading in opinion polls, is demanding immediate elections, arguing that the country must renegotiate its bailout program.

The final round of voting takes place on Dec. 29, when failure to elect Dimas would force the government to dissolve and call elections.