Almost 50 international media giants are presently in Greece covering the political developments that have over the last week placed Greece on the global news scene. George Papandreou, who on Friday survived a confidence vote, today apparently is resigning as prime minister giving way to a coalition government that will be formed with the main opposition New Democracy party of Antonis Samaras.
Papandreou did not mention any names as far as his successor is concerned, but informed his Cabinet who he met with earlier that he will propose the name at the joint meeting between President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias, Papandreou and Samaras which is currently still in course.
Nonetheless the taxalia blog said that following pressure from the US as well as Japan (since the markets there will be opening in a couple of hours) the name of Papandreou's successor is rumored to be Lukas Papadimos.
He served as Vice President of the European Central Bank and has a degree in physics, a masters degree in electrical engineering and a doctorate in economics. He followed an academic career at Columbia University, as well as serving as Senior Economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston in 1980. He joined the Bank of Greece in 1985 as Chief Economist, rising to Deputy Governor in 1993 and Governor in 1994 under the PASOK government. He was also a member of the Trilateral Commission since 1998 and a member of the Academy of Athens, and a professor of the University of Athens.
He will be supported by two vice-premiers, Evangelos Venizelos from PASOK and Stavros Dimas from the main opposition New Democracy party.
Papademos had said that he would not accept the position if there was not consensus between the two major parties.
The situation is very volatile and talks between the major parties give different views from hour to hour.