Greek president proposes a government of technocrats (after voting to end technocracy?!?)

Los Angeles Times ^ | May 14, 2012 | 12:56 pm | Anthee Carassava

[Olog-hai]

In the latest twist to Greece’s lingering political crisis, President Karolos Papoulias on Monday proposed a government of technocrats to stave off a repeat round of elections that could jeopardize the country’s fate in terms of the shared European currency.

Papoulias pitched the proposal as coalition talks looked doomed and fears heightened that the political deadlock gripping Greece for a second week was setting up the cash-strapped country for a possible exit from the Eurozone, the 17 nations that use the euro. Stock markets across Europe were sharply down Monday morning.

“The talks will continue tomorrow ... with the participation of all the political leaders,” an official from the president’s office said.

The proposal came as Papoulias convened a meeting with conservative, socialist and euro-backing leftist leaders, a day after the talks collapsed over the formation of a national unity government.

Alexis Tsipras, leader of the radical leftist Syriza party that supports reversing tough austerity measures imposed by Greece's European neighbors, pulled out of those talks Sunday. He refused to team up with mainstream parties backing strict fiscal discipline. …

However, Syriza officials said Tsipras would return to the negotiating table Tuesday, but it remained unclear whether he and the six other political party leaders would endorse Papoulias’ proposal.

It also remained unclear whether Lucas Papademos, a former banker appointed to the helm of Greece's government for five months, would be prepared to take the job of heading the new administration and whether Greeks, who just went to the polls, would accept it.

"A government of technocrats," warned Fotis Kouvelis, the leader of the Democratic Left, "would signal a defeat of politics." …

[Olog-hai]

The EU's been in control the whole time. That's what this move says.

[wolfman23601]

Surprise, surprise...

[wolfman23601]

“...proposed a government of technocrats to stave off a repeat round of elections...”

These people are always scheming to get around holding elections.

[No Truce With Kings]

Well, technocracy *sounds* so scientific.

(It is, too — at least in the sense that modern climate science is scientific . . . Do I need to be any clearer?)

[Lurker]

Maybe they can find an unemployed Austrian painter to run things for a bit, just until this mess gets sorted out of course.

Then the technocrats will just hand power back to the people.

[Da Coyote]

“Maybe they can find an unemployed Austrian painter to run things for a bit, just until this mess gets sorted out of course.”

However even this dumb painter didn’t need a teleprompter like a certain idiot currently infesting the underboards of the White House.

[pepsionice]

Nothing is really happening. There won’t be any technocrats because there’s just no support. A second round of elections are probably about four to six weeks away. They will be broke by that point. It’s a sure bet that things are fairly screwed up.

[Signalman]

Greece is a basket case.

[familyop]

Government by mechanics, electricians and such brutes. Pretty scary stuff. ;-)

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Olog-hai. Additional:

• Going out of business in Greece: 1,000 stores per week
• Greek Parties Have Little Chance of Forming Government
• Greece Leftists Abandon Efforts to Form Government
• Leftist fails to form Greek govt, elections loom
• First coalition attempt fails in Greece
• Athens (Greece) tops office space availability chart
• Greek Communist Leader Supports Staying in Euro Zone
• Euro tanks to three-month low after Greek vote upsets (Euro Death Watch)
• Stock futures hit after European elections
• Exclusive: Greek Government Robbed Public Institutions To Complete Bond Swap
• The Fascist Boogie Fever (Rise of Golden Dawn (Nazi Greece)
• Greece: 'Totalitarian ideologies on the rise among young Greek voters'

guest workers:

• Greece opens detention camp for immigrants as election looms
• Greece's Failure to Implement Border Laws Will Have Consequences, Warns German Minister of Interior

sidebars:

• France, Greece choose suicide over solvency; are we next?
• 'Club Med' Socialism Seals Europe's Fate
• Taking Someone Else's Money
• German Patience With Greece on the Euro Wears Thin
• Dems say French, Greek votes good for them (Spend! Spend! Spend!)
• Germany to Greece: No Austerity, No Aid
• How the West Is Spending Its Way to Tyranny
• French and Greek elections 'have overthrown Angela Merkel as dominant force'
• French Election: First results: Holland gave winner with 53% of votes
• How an Election in Greece Could Cause Europe to Crumble
• The European Evidence Shows Why the Left's Real Goal Is Higher Taxes on the Middle Class
• Cashless: The Coming War on Tax-Evasion and Decentralized Money
• Bankers warn of No vote risk as EU referendum date set (blackmailing Ireland)
• Crisis Proves a Curse for Greece's Orthodox Church
• Greek Minority Party "Omonia" Reports Vandalisms in Orthodox Churches