Greek PM quits party leadership ahead of elections, now set for March

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, January 08, 2004

Greek PM quits party leadership ahead of elections, now set for March

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Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis said he would step down as head of PASOK to let a successor lead the ruling socialist party to legislative elections now set for March 7, nearly two months earlier than planned.

"I will start the necessary procedures for the election of a new president of PASOK. I will remain prime minister until the elections," he said in a nationally broadcast statement.

The 67-year-old leader, who has led the country and PASOK since 1996, also announced a few hours after meeting with President Costis Stephanopoulos that the polls will be held on March 7 rather than on April 25 or May 2 as previously planned.

He said he had made the decision to step down in order to assure victory for a socialist majority so that "the work of modernizing Greece and its convergence with the EU" can go forward.

Simitis did not name a successor but all socialist leaders have pointedly noted in recent days that Foreign Minister George Papandreou, 51, is the sole candidate to succeed the prime minister.

Simitis said the party's central committee would meet Thursday. Greek media say Papandreou will probably be elected at an extraordinary congress January 30-31.

Source: Agencies

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