Greece's prime minister says early general elections could be called by the end of 2015 if the current legislature can elect a president and if negotiations with the country's creditors on post-bailout aid are completed.
Antonis Samaras on Sunday pleaded for lawmakers to "listen to their conscience...the national interest and common sense." Samaras added that after electing a president, the governing coalition could be enlarged with more pro-European lawmakers.
For the first time, Samaras appeared open to the possibility of early elections "toward the end of 2015," he said. The present Parliament's mandate ends in June 2016.
Wednesday's first ballot on a new president showed that Parliament is far from finding the required enlarged majority.
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