Greek opposition make no coalition progress

Greek opposition leaders made zero progress as they pressed on with trying to form a coalition yesterday, despite appeals from home and abroad for a rapid move to elections so the country can deal with its economic and humanitarian crises.

Conservative leader Evangelos Meimarakis spent the third and final day offered to him by Greece’s president to form a government in vain, rebuffed by leftist outgoing Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and the leaders of smaller parties.

The leisurely pace of coalition negotiations since Tsipras resigned on Thursday — after only seven months in office — has prompted media calls for a caretaker leader to implement further austerity and reform policies that are essential to ensure Greece keeps getting vital funds under its new bailout deal.