Names are coming and going

ND proposals for the new government are Stavros Dimas, John Mourmouras, Kontsantinos Arvanitopoulos and Dimitris Avramopoulos, who will resign as an MP.

The final decision will be made by the appointed PM Lucas Papademos. ND states that these are proposals and not negotiations, and that it seeks to help the new government and not gain partisan benefits.

According to the latest information, Avramopoulos is intended for the defence or foreign affairs ministry, Dimas for the environment ministry, Mourmouras for finance, Arvanitopoulos for the culture or education ministry, if Diamantopoulou does not remain in it.

ND argues that "with our participation we demolish the government of PASOK and Papandreou and support at the highest level the transitional government with the specific aim to get the country out of the deadlock and lead it to elections."

However, processes were intense by early Thursday morning. Evangelos Venizelos was one of the first, if not the first who accepted Papademos’ call asking him to remain vice president in the new government while retaining the portfolio of finance minister, to which Venizelos agreed. The next three ministers who accepted Papademos’ calls were Anna Diamantopoulou, Andreas Loverdos and Michalis Chrysochoidis, who are added to the government of Papademos, but it is still unclear whether they will retin the portfolios they control today.

And this is how Papademos started to implement his first mission, which is the formation of the coalition government. Reportedly, he wanted to be involve broad powers. Besides the ministers that will come from PASOK, he asked for the participation of four or five politicians from ND, while ministerial positions are expected to be given to one or two LAOS members. Papademos would like to staff the transitional government with persons belonging to other parties, even celebrities such George Floridis and Alekos Papadopoulos. Dora Bakoyannis' Democratic Alliance has increased chances of being represented in the new government, while Fotis Kouvelis' Democratic Left is also expected to be included.

The surprise lies in the inclusion of ministers from LAOS, unless there is a shocking surprise. Karatzaferis has agreed to assume he position of vice president, but apparently this scenario will not be followed. However, they are expected to place a couple of ministers, with Makis Voridis as the favorite and perhaps Adonis Georgiadis as well.

Colleagues of Karatzaferis believe that they must take responsibility for a particular ministry, choosing both the minister and the secretary from the members of LAOS.

Potential candidates for the new government are also Kostas Skandalidis, John Ragousis, Dimitris Reppas and Kostas Kartalis, possibly in the economy team.

The fate of Papakonstantinou and Lamprinidis is uncertain, along with others that were personal choices of Papandreou. And apart from Floridis and Papadopoulos, Vasso Papandreou has also been mentioned, having served as an EU commissioner.

Professor of Administrative Management Antonis Makridimitris is being discussed as a candidate for the interior ministry.