Athens, Greece (CNN) -- Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou won a confidence vote in Parliament early Saturday. The victory came minutes after he announced that he will seek a coalition government, though it was not immediately clear whether he would lead it.
"Tomorrow, I will go see the president and inform him that I am willing to hold talks with other parties in order to form a coalition government," the leader said late Friday in a speech to Parliament.
The leader said it would be disastrous if elections were to be held immediately, because that would leave "up in the air" a controversial bailout deal that was brokered October 26. It would exact tough austerity measures on the Greek people and their government.
Papandreou went on to plead for backing in the confidence vote that was set to get under way.
Under a motion of confidence, lawmakers signal to the head of state whether the government has the support of parliament. A loss typically results in the government's dissolution and the holding of a general election unless the head of state asks someone with more support to form a government.
As he had done on Thursday night, Papandreou pushed for approval of the international bailout package that the country has been offered, calling it "a huge change, and perhaps the last one, to rebuild a country with new and strong foundations."
He added, "It cannot go wasted. Otherwise, we will be historically responsible."
Papandreou reiterated that he has no great desire to maintain his grip on power. "The last thing I care for is the chair," he said. "I don't care if I never get elected again."
He defended his leadership, accusing previous governments of miring the Greek economy in debt. "Those days, you could borrow money easily, and now that's why the Greek people have to pay back for it," he said.
Papandreou said he now wants "to turn the page over and move forward."
Papandreou said opposition leader Antonis Samaras' call for a transitional government for six weeks, followed by elections, would prove "simply catastrophic. "If we go straight away to elections, we won't be able to implement a bailout," he said.
(CNN)
