FLORENCE: German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday she wanted Greece to “remain part of our story”, ahead of elections this weekend which could sweep the anti-austerity Syriza party to power and determine whether the country stays in the eurozone.

“At the heart of our principles lies solidarity. I want Greece, despite the difficulties, to remain part of our story,” Merkel said during a press conference in Florence with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi.

Renzi, 40, said he was “not worried about the results of the Greek election. I respect the citizens’ choice and from next week the 27 (EU) partners will work with” whoever wins “with great willingness”.

The election — the second in three years — comes with Greece still locked in talks with its EU-IMF creditors for a $8.3-billion tranche of bailout loans the state needs to stay afloat.

After a six-year recession in which the national output shrank by a quarter, Greeks are being called on to determine whether to stick with spending cuts demanded by their international creditors, or demand a new deal on the country’s huge debts.

Syriza, which has a steady lead in opinion polls over conservative New Democracy — the party formerly in government — wants to redraft the EU-IMF bailout which it says has brought nothing but misery for the past five years.

Published in Dawn January 24th , 2015

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