ATHENS, Greece – Prime Minister Antonis Samaras of Greece, seeking to rally lawmakers behind the government's candidate for president in a critical vote that could throw the country into new financial turmoil, offered on Sunday to set a date for early general elections toward the end of next year.

On Tuesday, the parliament is to hold the second part of a three-stage ballot in the presidential election, which Samaras called this month. A victory by his candidate, Stavros Dimas, a former member of the European Commission, would be tantamount to a vote of confidence in his coalition, which is working with international creditors to help keep the country liquid.

Samaras appealed to lawmakers to back Dimas. In exchange, he said, he would bring "pro-European personalities" into the government.

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