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Greece appoints judge as caretaker PM ahead of new elections

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Senior judge Ioannis Sarmas was named caretaker prime minister in Greece Wednesday after a general election failed to produce a new government.
Canadian Press
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New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis looks on during a meeting at the presidential palace in Athens, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023. After the leaders of the top three parties in the May 21 elections returned the mandate to form a government, saying there was no prospect of forming a coalition, President Katerina Sakellaropoulou invited them for a formal meeting Wednesday to see whether they can agree on a caretaker government pending new elections. If, as expected, the bid fails, a top judge will be appointed caretaker prime minister. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Senior judge Ioannis Sarmas was named caretaker prime minister in Greece Wednesday after a general election failed to produce a new government.

Sarmas, 66, will be sworn in Thursday and lead a caretaker government until a new election next month, according to government officials. The vote is widely expected to be held on June 25 but has not been formally confirmed.

His appointment was announced after the conservative New Democracy party of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis won a landslide victory in a general election Sunday, beating his left-wing opponents by 20 percentage points but falling short of a parliamentary majority.

Next month's election will take place under a different system which boosts the winning party.

Mitsotakis and the leaders of four other political parties represented in parliament held a joint meeting Wednesday with President Katerina Sakellaropoulou to discuss arrangements for the upcoming election.

The Associated Press