The World : Papandreou in Power Play

Greek Socialist Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou, staging a major political power play, persuaded party leaders to reject conservative President Constantine Karamanlis’ candidacy for a second term. The 78-year-old Karamanlis, who nursed the country back to democracy from military rule, immediately announced that he would not be a candidate for a second term. “I did not ask for my reelection, but on the contrary, I had serious reservations in accepting,” he said in a statement. Political analysts saw Papandreou’s surprise action as a move to gain support from the Greek Communist Party.