Greeks Close In on Deal, But Germany May Not Like It

The leaders of Greece's political parties emerged from meetings today saying they were determined to form a government—though from the sound of things, that may be a government at odds with Germany. The conservative New Democracy party is hoping to form a unity government with Socialist Pasok and the moderate Democratic Left. Democratic Left chief Fotis Kouvelis said that talks were "quickly moving forward," but that some finer points still need to be ironed out, the New York Times reports.

Kouvelis' goal is to renegotiate the most punishing parts of Greece's bailout deal, which he says have "decimated society." Pasok chief Evangelos Venizelos says he largely agrees, and even called for a "national negotiating team" that he hinted would include the leftist Syriza party. But Germany seems ill-inclined to renegotiate anything. "There won't be any changes to the memorandum of understanding," Angela Merkel declared yesterday, according to the Wall Street Journal, though officials have signaled they might be willing to give Greece more time to implement the plan. (More Greece stories.)