Main Opposition Radical Left SYRIZA Coalition spokesman Panos Skourletis told Parapolitika radio station on Tuesday that Greek Parliament is aligning itself with people’s demand of preventing the current coalition government from implementing even more austerity measures that have crippled Greek households.

Concerning the common stand between SYRIZA and the Democratic Left DIMAR party, Mr. Skourletis said that “both political factions agree that the present parliament should not elect a president and that the country should be led to elections.” He added that a meeting between SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras and DIMAR leader Fotis Kouvelis respectively is scheduled to take place following the third round of voting.

Mr. Skourletis said that he rules out the likelihood that the 180 votes needed to elect Stavros Dimas as Greek president will be gathered in the third round of elections on December 29. “It is obvious to me that the artificial euphoria created after the prime minister’s statement yesterday didn’t bring anything new,” said Mr. Skourletis, adding that the additional votes from the second round are votes that had already been secured since the previous week.

He predicted that the coalition government’s candidate won’t have the numbers necessary and that presidential elections will be held on January 25 or a week later.

“It is really sad that members of the government and the prime minister himself are resorting to unprecedented scaremongering,” said Mr. Skourletis. “Having elections and giving the people the opportunity to decide about their own fate and evaluate the government isn’t hazardous practice.”