French president Francois Hollande last night announced a two-year plan to quell mounting discontent over the flagging economy, rising unemployment, and mass layoffs.

The leaders of the three parties in Greece’s coalition government failed to agree today on a package of spending cuts worth €11.5 billion.

Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras today talked the junior partners in his fragile coalition government into dropping objections to new spending cuts demanded by the debt-crippled country’s bailout creditors, averting a crisis that could have eventually forced the country to abandon the euro.

Greece’s new three-party coalition government won a late-night vote of confidence in parliament, ending a period of uncertainty that led to two elections in less than two months.

Greece’s new government will present “alarming” data on its recession and unemployment to international debt inspectors this week in a bid to renegotiate the terms of its bailout agreements, a spokesman said.

Greece’s new conservative-led coalition government named its Cabinet today, appointing a prominent banker to take over the key position of finance minister.

Greece moved to end its protracted political impasse yesterday, swearing in a new prime minister to lead a largely pro-bailout coalition tasked with saving the country's place in the eurozone and easing a European financial crisis with global repercussions.

Greece has agreed a new coalition government, Socialist Party head and former Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos announced this afternoon.

A coalition government could be formed by later today in Greece, the head of the country’s socialist party has said.

Greek conservative leader Antonis Samaras is starting coalition talks after winning elections that follow weeks of uncertainty over the debt-crippled country’s future in the eurozone.

Fears of an imminent Greek exit from Europe’s joint currency receded after the conservative New Democracy party came first in a critical election and pro-bailout parties won enough seats to form a joint government.

Greece's socialist leader Evangelos Venizelos is accusing the head of the IMF of trying to "humiliate" the Greek people.

Greece’s newly installed caretaker prime minister began talks with party leaders ahead of this week’s EU summit that’s expected to focus on ways of kick-starting economic growth across the continent.

Senior judge Panagiotis Pikramenos was named Greece’s caretaker prime minister today, and new elections will be held on June 17, according to reports on state TV.

Greece is headed for another month of political paralysis ahead of new elections in mid-June after party leaders failed to agree a coalition government.

Greece will hold a new general election in June after days of talks failed to resolve the country’s political deadlock.

Greece will face another general election, socialist leader Evangelos Venizelos said after talks to agree a new government produced no deal.

Greek leftists rejected a last-ditch proposal by the head of state yesterday to put technocrats in charge of the country, as financial markets slid on speculation that political turmoil would force Athens out of the eurozone.

Greek political leaders ignored a final plea from the president to form a coalition government to avert a repeat election, pushing the debt-stricken nation closer to bankruptcy and a possible exit from the eurozone.

The Greek left-wing leader Alexis Tsipras has said a deal has been brokered for a new government, but it will not involve his Syriza party.

Greece’s president will meet political party leaders today in a last-chance effort to broker a deal for a coalition government and avoid another general election.

Greek socialist leader Evangelos Venizelos has handed back the mandate to seek partners for a coalition government to the country’s president after three rounds of negotiations proved fruitless.

Efforts to form a coalition have failed, Greece’s socialist leader and former finance minister said last night.

Efforts to form a coalition government have failed, Greece’s socialist leader and former finance minister said tonight.

Greece’s wrangling politicians were locked in last-ditch efforts today to form a coalition government, with chances of a deal appearing slim.

Germany's finance minister Wolfgang Schäuble has warned Greece there will be no more money without reforms.

Hopes have risen slightly that Greece can end its post-electoral deadlock without having to hold new elections, as international partners warned that Athens must stick to its austerity programme or abandon the euro.

Greek power-sharing talks entered a third and final round today, as parties in the crisis-hit country struggled to hammer out a coalition deal after general elections produced no outright winner.

Leftist leader Alexis Tsipras gave up his attempt to form a government yesterday, pushing Greece closer to its second election in a few weeks, after voter rejection of an EU/IMF bailout plunged the country into crisis.

The smouldering debate over European austerity burned hotter as the left-winger trying to form a new Greek government declared his country was no longer bound by pledges to impose crippling cuts in return for rescue loans.

Greece sank deeper into crisis yesterday when the leftist candidate for prime minister set conditions for a coalition which the biggest party said would destroy the country.

Greece sank deeper into a political and financial morass as initial efforts to form a new coalition government failed, a day after angry voters punished parties backing the country’s international bailout.

A first attempt to form a new Greek government collapsed in less than a day yesterday after an election which left gaping questions over the country’s ability to avert bankruptcy and stay in the euro.

Greece faces weeks of financial turmoil after voters angry at crippling income cuts punished mainstream politicians, let a far-right extremist group into Parliament and gave no party enough votes to govern alone.

Greece faces days, possibly weeks, of political instability after voters angry at crippling income cuts punished mainstream politicians.

Greeks head to the polls on Sunday in their most critical – and uncertain - election in decades, with voters set to punish the two main parties that are being held responsible for the country’s dire economic straits.

Greece is to hold an early general election on May 6.

A cash-strapped Greek pensioner shot and killed himself outside parliament in Athens, saying he refused to scrounge for food in the rubbish.

Greece's parliament has today approved a new international bailout deal, which will see the crisis-hit country receive an additional €172bn in rescue loans.

A disorderly Greek default would cause more than a €1,000bn of damage to the eurozone and could leave Italy and Spain dependent on outside help to stop contagion spreading, the main bondholders group has said.

Bank deposits in Greece have fallen by €70bn since the start of the crisis in 2009, the finance minister said today.

The Greek government has threatened to name and shame politicians accused of funnelling huge sums of money abroad in spite of a call to ordinary Greeks to return their savings to the country’s cash-strapped banks.

The Greek Parliament today approved a massive bond swap that will wipe €107bn off the country’s privately held debt.

Eurozone governments finally came to the rescue of Greece today, approving a second massive bailout after months of wrangling and a last round of more than 12 hours of talks in Brussels.