Breaking News : Greece to hold fresh polls after talks break down

From left to right, leader of the Democratic Left party Fotis Kouvelis, head of the Socialist PASOK party Evangelos Venizelos, leader of Conservatives New Democracy party Antonis Samaras, Greek President Karolos Papoulias, leader of the Coalition of the Radical Left party Alexis Tsipras and leader of the 'Independent Greeks', Panos Kammenos during a Political party leaders meeting at the Presidential Palace in Athens, on Tuesday, May 15, 2012. Greece's president met the leaders of five political parties, broadening talks to try and form a coalition government and end a nine-day deadlock in the crisis-hit country.

Deutsche Welle

Greece voters are set to go the polls for the second time in a matter of weeks after a last-ditch attempt to form a government broke down on Tuesday.

A spokesman for President Karolos Papoulias told reporters in Athens that his latest efforts to broker a compromise among the parties that finished strongest in this months elections had been fruitless. He did not give a date for the new polls but elections rules suggest it should be in about a month's time.

"For God's sake, let's move towards something better and not something worse” Evangelos Venizelos, the leader of the socialist Pasok party said after the meeting. "Our motherland can find its way, we will fight for it to find its way."

Greece has been in political limbo since the inconclusive election on May 6. This has left in doubt whether the country will meet its international commitments under two international bailouts. If it fails to do so it could become insolvent within a matter of weeks and there are growing fears that it will be forced to leave the eurozone.

pfd/ipj ( Reuters, AP)

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