New Democracy

The bill on same-sex marriage has plunged ruling New Democracy and leftist opposition SYRIZA into turmoil.

Indicatively, ND lawmaker Antonis Samaras, a former conservative prime minister, said he opposed the choice of Premier Kyriakos Mitsotakis to suggest the solution of abstention to dissenting MPs. 

Former premier Antonis Samaras has indicated that he will vote against a bill legalizing same-sex marriage when it comes before parliament, thus appearing to reject a proposal of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis that government MPs who disagree with the measure abstain in the relevant parliamentary vote.

The center-right Greek government's plans to legalize same-sex civil marriage received a major boost Thursday after the left-wing opposition leader pledged his party's backing in parliament.

SYRIZA leader Stefanos Kasselakis said he would instruct his lawmakers to vote for the proposal, although he argued that it didn't go far enough on parenthood rights.

Greece's opposition parties blasted the ruling New Democracy government of not doing enough to curb soaring prices and that the measures announced earlier on Wednesday are inadequate.
 

The credibility of the Parliament inquiry committee set up to investigate the Tempe train collision in central Greece last February, which cost the lives of 57 people, is being eroded by the acrimonious exchanges between the government and the opposition, even before key witnesses are examined.

The government will continue to support entrepreneurship with new investment tools and new job openings, government representatives said late on Monday at the annual reception of the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry held in the presence of a large number of business and political figures at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC).

Ahead of a televised interview on Wednesday evening in which Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is expected to open the debate on same-sex marriage and parenthood, three New Democracy MPs have expressed their basic opposition to any change in the law.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will hold a cabinet meeting on Tuesday to discuss new bills on transport, environment and foreign affairs.

Development Minister Kostas Skrekas outlined on Monday a raft of new measures that will be taken to address the problem of soaring prices.

New Left, the party created out of a split in the main opposition SYRIZA party, will hold an organizing meeting on January 12-13.

The meeting, to be held in Athens, will draw up a founding declaration and prepare a conference, to be held in late February, where the party's governing bodies will presumably be elected.