OPINION

September 10, 1952

PALACE’S PLAN: The entire political situation is developing according to a plan drawn up by the director of the General Secretariat of the palace, Mr Ventiris, in cooperation with Deputy Prime Minister Sophocles Venizelos. (…) To undermine Prime Minister Nikolaos Plastiras’s position completely, Mr Venizelos took him to the palace yesterday afternoon where he was informed that his reservations (over the passing of any electoral law other than that being debated by Parliament) were baseless (…). Before their meeting, Mr Venizelos had categorically stated to Prime Minister Plastiras that the latter’s intention to accept a broad majority system proposed by (Alexandros Papagos’s) Greek Rally party would not be realized because Venizelos’s resignation would provoke a government crisis, necessitating the dissolution of Parliament. In that case, elections would be held by means of the proportional system, which was not in the interest of EPEK, Plastiras’s party. PEURIFOY: It was announced yesterday that the US ambassador, Mr John Peurifoy, is to request an audience with King Pavlos (…). The recent political events and the government’s intention of introducing a bill for a simple majority electoral system is likely to make Peurifoy ask that the meeting be brought forward.

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