Conservatives: Greece must form gov't this time

[June 13, 2012]  ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- Conservative leader Antonis Samaras says Greece must form a government after its repeat election this weekend -- with the basic conditions that Greece remains in the eurozone and tries to amend its international bailout deal to stimulate its moribund economy.

Greece's June 17 election comes after a May 6 ballot left no party with enough votes to form a government and coalition talks collapsed.

Samaras' New Democracy party has been running neck-and-neck in recent opinion polls with the radical left Syriza party, whose leader Alexis Tsipras has vowed to cancel Greece's bailout commitments. That could lead to the country being forced out of the joint currency used by 17 European nations.

It's likely that more coalition talks will be needed after Sunday's vote.

[Associated Press]

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