The Financial Times interpret Prime Minister Antonis Samaras’s statements on Sunday, and his proposal for political consensus in order to elect a President of the Republic and avert snap national elections, as a last frantic effort to “avoid deeper political turmoil and quell renewed fears of a Greek exit from the euro.”

In an article published on its website, the newspaper says describes the current political climate in Greece, making specific reference to the alleged failed attempt to bribe an ANEL MP in order to vote for Stavros Dimas in Tuesday’s second-round presidential vote.

Regarding the reactions of the political world to Mr. Samaras call for consensus and his promise to broaden the government’s composition until the next national elections, to be held by the end of 2015, the FT say “several independents and the centre-left To Potami (River) party welcomed the premier’s move but, without strong support from the moderate Democratic Left party, Mr Dimas would still fall several votes short of the 180 he needs to pull off a win.”

Finally, citing Wolfgang Piccoli of Teneo Intelligence, the article notes that “while Samaras’s initiative slightly increases the chances to elect a new president, the PM’s offer has come too late — and only after a major corruption scandal — to succeed.”