PASOK and ND reach final agreement on universities

At last, the main opposition party, ND, voted in favour of the bill on universities after telephone contact between the ND president, Antonis Samaras, and the premier George Papandreou. 

Papandreou took the initiative and contacted Samaras, who reiterated his intention to vote for the bill only if the university asylum was lifted and if the rectors were, from now on, to be elected by the university society members themselves. The Greek prime minister agreed to both terms and thus the two men reached a long-wished-for agreement.

As a result, ND voted for the bill on principle.

Before the final step was taken, members of the ruling party had expressed their objections concerning the bill, but at the same time a high ranking ND official called upon his fellow members to give their approval and cast their “ballot” in favour of the bill because, as he put it, “It moves in the right direction and ND has to vote for it”.