Politics of Greece

Two of Prime Minister Antonis Samaras?s closest advisers, Chrysanthos Lazaridis and Stavros Papastavros, will not be included on the party?s state list of candidates for the January 25 elections, Kathimerini understands.

Candidates on the state list do not compete for votes in the elections but are elected based on the share of the vote the party receives.

Greece's leftist opposition Syriza party will need EU/IMF approval to issue short-term debt to cover funding needs in the first quarter if it takes power after a Jan. 25 election, the finance ministry said on Monday.

By Marcus Bensasson

Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras entered the two-week countdown to Jan. 25 elections with opinion polls showing he has so far failed to narrow the lead held by his main opponent, Alexis Tsipras of Syriza.

 Given its roots, leftist party will have a hard time promoting structural changes if it leads the next gov?t

By Dimitris Kontogiannis

With less than two weeks to go until critical snap elections, political parties are to ratchet up their rhetoric following a weekend of vehement campaigning that included Prime Minister Antonis Samaras pledging a series of tax cuts as part of a ?roadmap for a post-bailout Greece.?

Rachil Makri, the former Independent Greeks MP who spent the last few months as a nonaligned lawmaker, was the surprise inclusion on Friday in SYRIZA?s list of candidates for the upcoming general elections.

Prime Minister Antonis Samaras is on Saturday to unveil a ?national plan for growth and reforms? in a bid to indicate that his administration is the best bet for security and improved prospects and attract more undecided voters ahead of critical snap polls on January 25.

Akis Tsochatzopoulos, in jail for money laundering, has asked for all the members of the Government Council for Foreign Affairs and Defense (KYSEA) when he was defense minister to be called in his appeal trial.

The ex-PASOK stalwart believes that their testimony will help prove that he did not accept millions in kickbacks when he secured armaments deals.

Greece's main political parties on Friday began unveiling their candidate lists for the January 25 elections, with some of the nominations causing friction between governing coalition partners New Democracy and PASOK as well within the ranks of leftist opposition SYRIZA.

By Marco Bertacche & Eleni Chrepa

Greek anti-austerity SYRIZA party leader Alexis Tsipras isn?t ?frightened? by possible market turmoil in case of victory at the January 25 general election.