GREEK MPs failed to elect a new president for the country in a second round of voting yesterday, leaving the government with a final attempt next week to break an impasse that could force early elections.

Government candidate Stavros Dimas received only 168 votes, far short of the 200 needed.

In the final round on December 29, a reduced total of 180 in the 300-seat parliament will be required. Otherwise, a general election would be called.

But the left-of-centre Syriza party is demanding immediate elections, arguing that the country must renegotiate its bailout programme.

European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker has already warned that Greece should not vote the wrong way.

“I think that the Greek people… know very well what a wrong election result would mean,” he said. “I wouldn’t like extreme forces to come to power.”

If Syriza does win, Greece could be deprived of EU funding.