Panhellenic Socialist Movement

Changes to the public sector wage structure are at the heart of a dispute within the coalition that has raised concerns about whether the government will be in a position to negotiate effectively when the troika returns to Athens.

Coalition partner PASOK has reacted to leaks about the new pay structure in the civil service by saying that it has not accepted the changes.

In a direct attack on Administrative Reform Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, PASOK said he should “learn to consult more with coalition partners and spend less time on leaks to the media.”

With Greece and its lenders seemingly finding common ground on how to conclude the country’s bailout at the end of the year, attention is now due to switch to the conclusion of the latest troika review of the Greek program.

SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras has called on opposition and independent MPs to clarify how they intend to vote in February’s presidential election, which could lead to an early national vote, as a new opinion poll indicated that the leftists are expanding their lead over New Democracy.

Deputy Prime Minister and PASOK leader Evangelos Venizelos warned party officials on Friday to be prepared for early elections and indicated that the Socialists would be open to being part of a new coalition government.

Yiannis Haralambopoulos,a respected figure within PASOK, died on Thursday at the age of 95.

Haralambopoulos was a close adviser of late Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou and held various ministerial posts, as well as that of deputy prime minister.

A top-ranking prosecutor on Wednesday launched an investigation into claims that entrepreneurs close to the government were gathering money to bribe MPs into backing the coalition’s candidate for crucial presidential elections early next year.

The government breezed through a confidence vote that took place after midnight on Friday as it gained the support of its own MPs but no other members of Parliament.

The final results saw 155 MPs back the coalition, two lawmakers vote "present" and 131 deputies vote against the government.

PASOK MP Dimitris Kremastinos on Friday became the latest lawmaker to call for a broad coalition government focused on negotiating the best possible deal with Greece's international creditors, telling Parliament that such an administration could be led by a mutually acceptable prime minister.

The Greek coalition government, which faces a crucial confidence vote on Friday, saw its parliamentary majority rise to 155 MPs in the 300-seat House after senior partner New Democracy accepted a request by former Athens Mayor Nikitas Kaklamanis to be let back into the conservative party fold.