Veteran Greek leftist Panagiotis Lafazanis parted ways with his old comrade Alexis Tsipras on Friday, founding a new party dedicated to finishing off the country’s bailout before the bailout finishes off the country.
Advertisement
Greece’s European creditors did not appear dismayed by Tsipras’ move, which comes less than seven months into his four-year mandate.
If Popular Unity takes 25 MPs into the election it would become the third largest behind Syriza and New Democracy, ahead of the far-right Golden Dawn (Stuttgart: 3G8A.SG – news).
The Syriza Labour Minister, George Katrougalos, said that the government needed to “reconfirm its mandate” to implement the third Greek bailout and that the party is “crippled by a number of dissident Mps”.
Tsipras said on Thursday he felt “a moral obligation to place this deal in front of the people, to allow them to judge… both what I have achieved, and my mistakes”.
Earlier, Greece’s president formally gave the conservative opposition a chance to form a new government after Mr Tsipras resigned.
The new law would also include a tax rate reduction on foreign currency brought to Greece by overseas companies exclusively engaged in insurance, chartering, brokerage, and shipbuilding.
However, it is unlikely that Mr Meimarakis or the new party will be able to form a government.
Mr Tsipras’s reversal in accepting the demands by creditors led to outrage among Syriza hardliners.
The election is likely to be held on September 20, the Greek news agency ANA said, citing government sources.
“Elections are a last resort and will not help the country”, said Meimarakis as he explained his decision to use the three days at his disposal to try to form a government from the current Parliament.
After almost a third of SYRIZA lawmakers refused to back the program in parliament last week, Tsipras lost majority.
“I want to submit to the Greek people everything I have done (since taking office in January) so that they can decide once more“, he added.
Eurogroup president Jeroen Dijsselbloem told Reuters that he hopes the new elections would not delay or derail the bailout package which Athens has negotiated with its creditors.
Advertisement
“Election campaigning may demonstrate ambivalence rather than “ownership” towards elements of the programme by the Greek authorities and electorate”, Fitch said.
