The moment of truth will probably ring Wednesday, July 15 evening for Syriza, the “coalition of the radical left” and for its leader, Alexis Tsipras, in power in Athens since late January.
Faced with a risk of mass defection of MPs from Syriza at the imperative and decisive vote expected Wednesday night, the painful rescue plan negotiated at “a bad night “in Brussels with European creditors, the Greek prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, called, Tuesday, July 14, the parliamentarians of his training to adopt these unpopular austerity measures but deemed” necessary “by the Greeks, a 70% a survey.
The government leader, Alexis Tsipras, has asked its members to vote “according to their conscience.”
“Surrender”, “humiliation”
The deputies of the “hard-line” Syriza denounce the agreement reached Monday snatching after a night of hard negotiations, under the threat of an exit from the euro, as a “coup” financial, a “capitulation,” a “humiliation” because it provides in particular for severe austerity measures while the far-left party promised to end “Austerity kills.”
On 5 July, in a referendum, 61% of Greeks had voted “no” to new austerity measures.
“Assuming all the mistakes” during the talks with European, Alexis Tispras said, in an interview with public television, that he “did not believe” himself “to the text” but that he had signed “to avoid disaster in the country,” a “catastrophe.” That is to say, an adventurous euro exit by Greece.
It is presented as “a captain on a boat in difficulty: the worst would be to abandon ship,” said he believed .
Tsipras: “I take a text to which I do not think”
Painful measures
The European creditors have demanded the adoption of stringent savings measures by Wednesday midnight, otherwise they would finance more Athens which then would go bankrupt and come out probably the single European currency.
For emergency creditors new funds which would reach 82 billion euros over three years, while the economy is blocked, banks closed for two weeks – and probably still for long – Alexis Tsipras has to vote “by 15 July,” under the terms of the Brussels agreement, a series of painful measures:
- increases in VAT
- reform of pension
- reform of the national agency Elstat statistics
- establishment of a Fiscal Council, etc.
What is in the agreement that ends the Grexit
A poll under pressure from Street
As in a previous vote on the austerity measures, the European bailout plan should however go smoothly in parliament thanks to the votes of political opponents of Alexis Tsipras.
The moderate opposition New Democracy (right conservatives), PASOK (Socialist) and To Potami ( “The River”, center left), announced that they would vote for this text laboriously negotiated in Brussels.
This election will be under pressure from the street. The union officials announced the first day strike since Syriza came to power and a demonstration in Syntagma Square in front of Parliament in central Athens.
Other professional groups affected by the savings plan, the restorers (who see their VAT jump by 10 points), the need rejoin. Anarchists and anti-capitalist party Antarsya (close NPA) also called for demonstrations.
Sign nervousness of power, the police have been placed on alert in this country with a violent street demonstrations tradition.
The tightrope awaits Tsipras Greece
Towards a implosion of the Greek radical left
? Despite the expected positive vote, Alexis Tsipras probably draw the consequences, more or less radical, of rebellion in his party. According to “senior government officials” quoted by the business daily and Reference “Kathemerini” if the number of members “slingers” is less than 30 MPs (out of 149 elected deputies of Syriza to 300 in all), the Greek prime minister should maintain unchanged the Syriza coalition government with the party sovereigntist right Independent Greeks (13 deputies).
According to Alexis Tsipras, the Independent Greeks, who engaged in a hesitation waltz between “yes” and “no” to agrees with the approach of the vote, still support their government.
But even if his coalition is saved, Alexis Tsipras intends to conduct a “broad reshuffle” ministerial, according to sources cited by “Katherimini”. The ministers opposed the agreement would then be sent back, foremost the energy minister, Panayiotis Lafazanis, head of the “left platform”, the radical Syriza power, anti-euro, which has been that ramp up since the early concessions to European creditors. By cons, Alexis Tsipras does not intend to expel Syriza MPs and the popular head of Parliament in open rebellion.
But if the number of members that are lacking in Wednesday night to vote is greater than 40, the Prime Minister will probably use a more radical scenario: the formation of a national unity government, sources of Katherimini. Indeed, in this case, the representation of his cabinet falls below 121 seats (out of 300), the minimum provided for by the Constitution for a minority government. Even taken for granted, Wednesday’s vote should show if Syriza is the scene of a single dissent or if it causes an implosion of the Greek radical left that would upset the political landscape.
Jean-Baptiste Naudet
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