Chairs moving around the deck

According to a New York Times report:

After crisis talks on Sunday night, Prime Minister George Papandreou and his main rival agreed to create a new unity government in Greece that will not be led by Mr. Papandreou, according to a statement released Sunday night by the Greek president, who mediated the talks.

Mr. Papandreou and the opposition leader Antonis Samaras agreed to meet again on Monday to hammer out the details. The name of the new prime minister is not expected until then.

The new government is intended to govern for several months to put in place a debt agreement with the European Union, a step European leaders consider crucial to shoring up the euro. Then it is to hold a general election and dissolve.

The new government will unify around imposing a new austerity regime on Greece. It will exist only to serve that end. To be sure, this will not be an all-inclusive political settlement. After all, the government will not include representatives of the Greek protesters who have made their will known on this matter. It will merely be a unified Greek elite who will stand alongside of European Union political elite.

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• Greek prime minister won’t head interim government – USA Today (usatoday.com)
• Euro debt crisis: Greek prime minister George Papandreou to resign once coalition deal is struck (telegraph.co.uk)
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• Greek PM George Papandreou Expected to Resign (blippitt.com)
• Greece works throughout weekend to avoid bankruptcy – Christian Science Monitor (csmonitor.com)
• Papandreou out as Greek leaders agree unity government deal (guardian.co.uk)
• Papandreou to resign when coalition deal made: lawmaker (business.financialpost.com)
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• Greek Pm Happy Believers Movement (socyberty.com)