Greece was engulfed in political uncertainty as power-sharing talks aimed at forming a coalition government collapsed amid intense wrangling, ensuring that tortuous negotiations would drag on into a fourth day.As Greeks -- and European Union
...the successor to the Holy Roman Empire, only without the Hapsburgs and the nifty uniforms and the dancing...
officials -- looked on aghast, the presidential palace announced that the near bankrupt country's squabbling party leaders would reconvene under the auspices of president Karolos Papoulias .
Suggestions that Philippos Petsalnikos, Speaker of the parliament and a long-time confidant of outgoing socialist prime minister George Papandreou, would be the next leader appeared to torpedo the talks and last night well-placed sources suggested that sparring politicians were once again considering annointing former frontrunner Lucas Papademos to take control of the new government.
"This is an insult to democracy," lamented the veteran leftist Fotis Kouvelis who leads the small Democratic Left party.
"It is clear that, after this, whatever government emerges will be totally undermined," he said giving voice to fears that Athens had become rudderless as it navigates its worst crisis in modern times. "The only answer is elections here and now."
The talks collapsed after a day of farcical high drama, climaxing with the unexpected exit from the presidential palace of Giorgos Karatzaferis, leader of the populist far-right Laos party.
The politician, whose party's fortunes have risen dramatically on the back of Greece's debt drama, stormed out of the building denouncing the "tactical games" allegedly being played by Papandreou and Antonis Samaras, the conservative main opposition leader.
"I am very sorry. Very sorry for Greece," he said before being whisked off in a bullet proof car.