No debate at all now appears as the most likely outcome of heated negotiations between political party representatives in Greece ahead of the July 7 general election, with each side accusing the other over the impasse.
Incumbent prime minister Alexis Tsipras and his hard left SYRIZA party had repeatedly demanded a one-on-one debate with his primary rival, New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis, especially in light of the fact that the latter and his center-right party are currently comfortably ahead in the opinion polls.
Conversely, Mitsotakis countered by offering to participate in televised debates with political party leaders represented in the recently dissolved Parliament.