Ioannis Sarmas sworn in as caretaker prime minister ahead of Greek elections

Court of Audit President Ioannis Sarmas was sworn in as prime minister of a caretaker government that will lead Greece to a repeat round of elections on June 25, shortly after 4:00 on Thursday.

Sarmas was sworn in at the Presidential Mansion in the presence of President of the Hellenic Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou.

He received the order to form a caretaker government from Sakellaropoulou on Wednesday, following her meetings with leaders of the top three parties resulting from the May 21 elections. All of the leaders successively turned down the exploratory mandates to form a government.

A day earlier, Sakellaropoulou had told Sarmas, "I have already announced to political leaders that I plan to propose you among the three presidents [of Greece's top courts], to present you with the order to form a government that will carry out the elections." Sarmas responded that constitutionally and as a citizen, it was his obligation to accept this honor.