They are asking him to promise he will step down

Information from ministers states that they will emphasize a national unity government while in Parliament. Or a transitional government, as ND states. Thus, Evangelos Venizelos, Anna Diamantopoulu, Yiannis Ragousis and Andreas Loverdos will operate on the assumption of taking the Prime Minister’s resignation as a given.

We are doing it to ensure the vote of confidence in the government. Basically, the statements will be the ultimate leverage towards George Papandreou so that his speech before midnight will include a clarification on his views and that in his speech, a clear timetable will be given; then he will get the vote of confidence he needs in order to depart with his head held high. Since this morning, both in Parliament and Maximou Mansion, unrest has prevailed among the PM’s aides.

Colleagues of his treat all scenarios as possible. Either he “sticks to his guns”, claims the vote and then begins the process, which is no certainty to dissenting MPs, or he will go to Parliament with something tangible… like an agreement with the opposition. That is why his colleagues leave the possibility open that there will be a new contact between him and Mr. Samaras, today.

The problem they are facing is that without a vote of confidence, the upper hand is lost to the head of the New Democracy party. But without the deal with the latter, the risk of being voted against and then of PASOK breaking down is evident, since everyone will be pointing blaming fingers at each other.