New Greek PM Lucas Papademos Faces Confidence Vote

Papademos, an unelected former banker, leads an interim cabinet of technocrats backed by the leading parties - including Papandreou's Socialists (Pasok) and the rival centre-right New Democracy. Photo by EPA/BGNES

Greece's new interim PM Lucas Papademos is to face a vote of confidence, amid an ongoing debt crisis threatening its membership of the eurozone.

Correspondents say he is likely to secure parliamentary backing, as his unity cabinet commands a wide majority, BBC reported.

Papademos has said his priority is ratifying the international 130bn euro (7bn; ?111bn) bailout package agreed at an EU summit last month.

It imposes austerity measures that have triggered widespread protest in Greece.

The crisis led to the resignation last week of the then-Prime Minister George Papandreou.

Papademos, an unelected former banker, leads an interim cabinet of technocrats backed by the leading parties - including Papandreou's Socialists (Pasok) and the rival centre-right New Democracy.

The BBC's Mark Lowen in Athens says the confidence motion is almost certain to be passed, but there is a sticking point at the heart of Greece's new government.

The leader of the conservative New Democracy, Antonis Samaras, has repeated that he will not heed an EU demand to sign a pledge to honour the latest bailout package, which will involve more austerity measures.

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