Greek president calls for technocrat government

Greece's president will ask politicians on Tuesday to stand aside and let a government of technocrats steer the nation away from bankruptcy, but leftists have already rejected the proposal and look set to force a new election they reckon they can win.

Party leaders, deadlocked since a parliamentary vote nine days ago, will convene at the presidential palace this afternoon, but said they had little hope President Karolos Papoulias's offer would resolve a political crisis that has fuelled speculation Greece's days in the euro zone are numbered.

The multi-party political landscape has been in disarray since an inconclusive election on May 6 left parliament divided between supporters and opponents of a 130 billion-euro ($168-billion) EU/IMF bailout, with neither side able to form a coalition that would have a stable majority in the legislature.

If supporters and opponents of the bailout cannot agree a government, the head of state must call a new election in June.

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