Thanou chosen as interim Greek prime minister

ATHENS , Greece, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Vassiliki Thanou, presiding judge of Greece's Supreme Court, will lead the country's interim government until elections are held, the president announced Thursday.

Thanou, 65, will be Greece's first female head of state.

President Prokopis Pavloupolous made the decision after the resignation last week of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and the failure of subsequent attempts to form a coalition government from the current parliament by Greece's several political parties. Thanou must form an interim government to rule until parliamentary elections are held, likely on Sept. 20 or Sept. 27.

She was appointed president of the Supreme Court in June, the second woman in the position.

Thanou is expected to be sworn in later Thursday, with plans to have her cabinet named by Friday. After that comes a formal dissolution of parliament and an announcement of the date of elections.