ATHENS — Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou formally stepped down as leader of his debt-wracked country Wednesday and pledged support to his unnamed successor in a televised farewell address.
Papandreou’s speech came after three days of frantic discussion over who would lead the country and implement a new €130 billion ($179 billion) aid package.
“The main political parties are coming together to make sure that Greece stays in the eurozone,” Papandreou said.
“I want to wish every success to the new PM and the new government. I will support this effort with all my strength.”
House speaker Philippos Petsalnikos, 60, was widely expected to be named as interim prime minister, but Papandreou did not identify his successor by name and other candidates had emerged earlier.
However, he did say it would be an “institutional” choice, AFP reported.
Papandreou then left immediately to formally tender his resignation to the Greek president.
“This is a historic day, the fact that several political powers are able to co-operate,” Papandreou later said.
“It opens a new page in our country’s history.”
Whoever takes control must quickly ratify an EU bailout deal that Greece’s European peers say is a precondition for the release of loan funds to prevent bankruptcy in the Greek economy, where reserves will run out in mid-December.
Papandreou told his cabinet Tuesday that he was close to a deal with the opposition New Democracy party and asked his ministers to prepare resignation letters.
Former European Central Bank (ECB) vice president Lucas Papademos has been widely favored to head the interim government, barring late hitches. But discussions between Greece’s two major parties — and infighting in both — kept negotiations going well into Tuesday night, when other possible outside candidates emerged.
They also included the 75-year-old veteran lawmaker Apostolos Kaklamanis, a founder of the Socialist party who has served in parliament since Greece’s return to democracy after seven years of military rule in 1974.