THE ailing Greek Prime Minister, Mr Andreas Papandreou, in his seventh week in a critical condition in hospital, has suffered heavy damage to his kidneys, the latest medical bulletin said yesterday.
"The results of the kidney biopsy showed extensive damage," the Onassis Heart Centre said.
It was the first time doctors had acknowledged the damage to Mr Papandreou's kidneys, although he has been undergoing dialysis for kidney failure for more than a month.
Mr Papandreou (76) went to hospital with pneumonia in November and has been kept alive by life support systems since.
Greek politics has been paralysed by his illness, with the ruling Panhellenic Socialist Movement (Pasok) divided over whether to find a successor or wait in the unlikely event that Mr Papandreou will be able to resume his duties.
Many parliamentary deputies - who would elect a successor - think a replacement should be chosen, but some loyalists and ministers hesitate to challenge the veteran leader.
"It is the biggest dilemma in the history of. . . Pasok. There is need for a new prime minister but we simply can't write off Andreas Papandreou," said a government member who asked not to be named.
Independent doctors have said it is unlikely Mr Papandreou, who has been kept alive on life support machines for 45 days, will be able soon to take part in the debate on his succession.
Pasok members exchanged angry words over the succession issue and there was no clear way to skirt a constitutional article which says a prime minister can be replaced only if he resigns or dies.
The government spokesman, Mr Telemachos Hytiris, that any effort to push the succession question without Mr Papandreou's consent would deal a blow to the country's constitution and could lead to political turmoil.
Mr Dimitris Beis, the head of the Pasok parliamentary group, said he doubted Mr Hytiris was expressing the views of the government.
Pasok officials said Mr Papandreou's doctor, the Health Minister, Dr Dimitris Kremastinos, told them last week that the prime minister was unable to make political decisions and was unlikely to be able to do so for months.
The executive committee of Pasok's parliamentary group met on Tuesday after a barrage of letters by deputies who said Greece must be led out of the political limbo caused by Mr Papandreou's illness.
The committee, chaired by Mr Beis, asked the 169 Pasok deputies to state in writing whether they wanted to elect a new leader.
"It is clear that Andreas Papandreou can no longer perform his duties," said Mr Yannis Haralambopoulos, a former socialist vice prime minister and one of Mr Papandreou's potential successors.
Mr Papandreou's position as founder of Pasok has kept most possible successors from coming out into the open while he was fighting for his life.
Mr Miltiades Evert, leader of the conservative opposition party, New Democracy, plans to table a censure motion in parliament next week to try to force elections.
Athens newspapers said all eyes were on the former industry minister, Mr Costas Simitis, one of the front runners to succeed Mr Papandreou.