Greek PM reshuffles Cabinet amid unrest, scandals

From Anthee Carassava
For CNN
ATHENS, Greece (CNN) - Greek Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis carried
out a sweeping reshuffle of his Cabinet Wednesday as his party struggles to
retain its razor-thin control of the parliament amid a string of scandals and
the worst civil unrest the country has seen in decades.

The shakeup, which comes barely a year after the prime minister's
re-election in 2007, was not a surprise. But the extent of the reshuffle was.

Karamanlis replaced nine of 16 ministers, including Finance Minister
George Alogoskoufis.

Alogoskoufis is credited with maintaining Greece's growth in a slumping
global economy. But his prescription for unpopular economic reforms swelled
public discontent against the center-right government in recent months.

The prime minister, however, kept in place the Interior Minister, despite
criticism of the ministry's handling of the police force during a month of
riots in Greece.

The country erupted in riots and demonstrations December 6 when a police
bullet killed 15-year-old Alexis Grigoropolous, and protests have continued
almost daily since then.