Greece's embattled Socialist government announced a sweeping cabinet reshuffle Friday, replacing the country's finance minister in an effort to shore up support for unpopular economic reforms.
In a statement, spokesman George Petalotis said the government had appointed Evangelos Venizelos as finance minister, replacing George Papaconstantinou.
Mr. Papaconstantinou, seen as the architect of those economic reforms, was appointed as environment minister and remains within the government's inner cabinet.
A university law professor who now heads the defense ministry, Mr. Venizelos is an old party hand from the 1980s. He has served as justice minister and government spokesman and stood against Prime Minister George Papandreou for the Socialist party leadership.
"Papaconstantinou is considered both a hero and a villain. A hero by Papandreou for holding probably the most difficult cabinet position in the world, and, unfortunately a villain by many of his colleagues in the cabinet and a big part of the Greek population. I am sure Venizelos will use his advice on how to deal with our creditors," a senior party official said.
By CHARLES FORELLE, COSTAS PARIS and ALKMAN GRANITSAS
WSJ
