Greece: Leftist party leader quits after EU vote

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — The leader of a left-wing party that pulled out of the government coalition a year ago is resigning after winning just 1.2 percent of the vote in European Parliament elections.

Fotis Kouvelis’ Democratic Left party has 14 seats in Greece’s 300-member parliament. His decision last year to leave the ruling coalition came under criticism from within the party and has weakened the government in the months since.

Kouvelis announced his resignation on Wednesday. It was not immediately clear how that affects the party’s position toward the government, whose slim two-seat majority has hurt its ability to carry out painful economic reforms demanded by international bailout lenders.

The Democratic Left won 6.25 percent of the vote in 2012 general elections.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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