Parliament Speaker Nikos Voutsis

'The Independent Greeks’ parliamentary group convened and we unanimously demanded that Mr. Papachristopoulos surrender his seat to the party as he had promised.'

According to Greek Parliamentary rules, for a political party to be recognised as a parliamentary group it must have five MPs elected on its ticket.

Because the government finds itself in a sticky wicket, there is little political time left and the suffocating political conditions appear to be bringing the time of election nearer.

'When police officers arrested several Rouvikonas members who broke into parliament last year, Nikos Voutsis, the Speaker, called up the citizens’ protection minister and ordered their immediate release on the grounds that ‘it was a simple act of protest.'