ATHENS - Greek politicians abandoned their quest to form a government on Saturday, leaving the president with one final opportunity to avert new elections that could drive the debt-choked country out of the European single currency. Greece's political landscape is in disarray after voters humiliated the only parties backing a rescue plan tied to spending cuts, leaving no bloc with sufficient seats to form a government to secure the next tranche of financial aid. Without aid from the EU and IMF, the country risks bankruptcy in weeks and - as European leaders now openly acknowledge - potential ejection from the euro zone. On Saturday morning, Socialist leader Evangelos Venizelos met President Karolos Papoulias in the presidential mansion to formally confirm he had been unable to persuade other parties to form a broad coalition that would keep the bailout agreement but try to improve its terms. The holdout was Alexis Tsipras, a charismatic 37-year-old radical leftist, who has emerged as the standard bearer for opponents of the bailout's harsh austerity measures and has the most to gain from a new election. Papoulias has one last chance to press all political leaders to form a coalition. If he fails, he must call a new election in June. In televised remarks during their meeting, Venizelos urged the president to lean on Tsipras to join an "ecumenical government". "I put this forth to Mr Tsipras. I haven't received a positive response," Venizelos said. "I believe that is where your efforts should be focused during the consultations." The president replied: "There are signs of optimism in what you are telling me and I hope I can contribute to the formation of a government - because things are rather difficult." Papoulias will meet the leaders of the country's three biggest parties on Sunday at 0900 GMT, his office said in a statement. He will then hold individual meetings with the leaders of the smaller parties.
