Former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras returned to office on Sunday after his left-leaning Syriza Party secured a comfortable majority in Greek Parliament.
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The result was a surprise to those that relied heavily on opinion polls ahead of the elections, which showed a neck-and-neck race between Syriza and conservative opposition party New Democracy (ND). The neo-Nazis of Golden Dawn remain in third place, but it’s a very distant third on 7.0% (up 0.7%).
But the move alienated many Syriza supporters and split the party, with a fifth of its anti-euro hardline MPs walking out, forcing Tsipras to call the election. Syriza lawmakers who revolted against the bailout agreement formed a new party, Popular Unity, to advocate a return to the drachma.
Turnout in Sunday’s election was just over 55%, down from 63% in January and low by Greek standards.
Greece and the Greek people represent struggle and dignity.
He’s set to form a second coalition with the Independent Greeks, who have got 10 seats, giving a majority of just 5 in the Greek parliament.
Alexis Tsipra’s Syriza Party won two parliamentary elections within a year. “I congratulate him and call on him to form the government that is necessary, and bring the [proposal] to parliament”.
The result is likely to be welcomed in eurozone capitals since Syriza now has a mandate to implement the painful reforms that come with the third bailout, but many within the party are still deeply opposed to those reforms.
But treading that fine line of implementing the bail-out – and all of its conditions – in full while taking a hard stance against Greece’s creditors will be a tough job for Mr Tsipras, despite his fresh mandate.
With a new €3 billion tranche of aid at stake, the new government’s first task will be to revise the 2015 budget to take into account major pension and income tax reforms.
“I thank you from the bottom of my heart for this great victory, a clear victory, a victory of the people”, Mr Tsipras said.
Former Greek finance minister, Yanis Varoufakis quit Syriza after July’s bailout referendum, having been earlier pulled by Mr Tsipras from the country’s bailout negotiating team.
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Still, many Greeks voiced apprehension over the impending cutbacks, which follow a six- year crisis that’s seen the Greek economy shrink a quarter and unemployment swell to over 25 per cent.
