Pro-bailout conservative New Democracy (ND) party leader Antonis Samaras was sworn in on Wednesday as Greece's new prime minister.

New Democracy party leader Antonis Samaras [File photo]

The veteran economist and politician was born in Athens in 1951. He attended the Athens College, and graduated from Amherst College in the United States in 1974 with a degree in economics, and then from Harvard University in 1976 with an MBA.

He was elected a Member of Parliament in 1977. In 1989, he became Greece's finance minister, and later served as foreign minister until 1992, when he was removed due to his hardline approach to the "Macedonian Question," a dispute between Greece and then newly independent Republic of Macedonia concerning the use of the name Macedonia.

Samaras rejoined the ND before the 2004 general election and served as culture minister after the ND emerged victorious in the election. He became the ND's party leader in 2009 after the party lost its battle in the general election.

Amid intense global attention to Greece's May 6 legislative election this year, the ND became the largest party in the Greek parliament but failed to form a government afterwards.

In a repeat election in June, the ND came out on top in a stronger position with 129 seats out of the total 300.

However, as its seat total fell short of the simple majority required to form a one-party cabinet, the ND entered into negotiations with socialist PASOK party and the Democratic Left to form a coalition government and the three parties agreed in principle to jointly form a government on June 20.

Samaras is married and has two children.

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