Coalition 'out of the Question', Greek Pm Says

The countdown to one of the closest elections in modern Greek history was marked yesterday with the prime minister Costas Karamanlis vowing to call a fresh ballot rather than enter a coalition with a smaller party.

Voters go to the polls on Sunday with the popularity of the ruling New Democrats severely dented by the disastrous forest fires that have raged across Greece. Mr Karamanlis, who appeared all but assured of victory when he called the snap poll last month, has been put on the defensive.

Opinion polls have pointed to smaller political groups emerging as power brokers - not least the far-right Popular Orthodox Alarm (LAOS) - fueling fears the ballot could lead to political deadlock. Neither conservative New Democracy nor center-left Pasokwas shown to garner enough votes to form a government.

Yesterday Mr Karamanlis, at 47 Europe's youngest leader when he swept to power with a landslide victory in 2004, ruled out entering into a coalition with any party.

"It is a truth that forming a coalition is out of the question," he told the nation during a televised press conference. "If we don't win a working majority, there'll be new elections." He says he needs a parliamentary majority to overhaul Greece's state institutions and press ahead with vital economic reforms.