“Syriza will never be the same again,” said a political analyst on Thursday morning on the radio Vima.fm. After the vote Wednesday night to Parliament of a first phase of reforms demanded by creditors to obtain a new loan, Alexis Tsipras must admit his “political defeat” according to the center-right daily Kathimerini. This is a “crack in the Syriza” according to editorial writer with 39 members of the party Alexis Tsipras voted against the agreement or abstained.
The night of Wednesday to Thursday was long and complicated for the Greek Prime Minister. After a parliamentary debate of several hours, 229 of 300 deputies finally voted around 2am the first part of measures (VAT increases, pension reforms and the adoption of a budget rule gold) but the agreement is mainly passed with the votes of the opposition (New Democracy, PASOK, Potami). Two popular personalities, former Minister of Finance, Yanis Varoufakis , and the President of Parliament, Zoe Konstantopoulou , and three ministers, which should be replaced shortly, voted against the bill. Zoe Konstantopoulou shouted for “crime against humanity” while Yanis Varoufakis called the agreement “a new Treaty of Versailles.”
Fronde of the left wing Syriza
The division within the party is now a reality that the Greek Prime Minister will have to manage in the coming days . During the parliamentary debate, Alexis Tsipras tried to plead for unity but in vain … “We are not going to agree with our political opponents who want our government is a parenthesis,” a-t- he claimed in the gallery of the Vouli. Since Monday, the prime minister faces a revolt mainly from the deputies of the “platform left” the most radical wing of the party who spoke against the new measures and for the return to money National. The Minister of Energy, Panagiotis Lafazanis , and had said on Monday that he would not vote for this agreement, “the Greek people did not elect us to vote a new memorandum (…) This agreement will go with the voices of the opposition and not with those of the people. ” On Tuesday, the Prime Minister also had to face the first resignation in his government, that of Deputy Minister of Finance, Nadia Valavani . In a letter to the prime minister, the former minister says having to leave her place because “the proposed solution is doomed to failure.”
Alexis Tsipras could count on the support of its ally, the right-wing sovereignist ANEL, which governs with the radical left. Panos Kammenos , the defense minister and leader of the small party has shown its support to the government in this difficult, but leaving open the option of voting against certain measures. “If this government falls there is no hope for either Greece or Europe,” he proclaimed Panos Kammenos during his speech at the meeting.
Support of the population?
Despite these criticisms increasingly strong, Alexis Tsipras intends to move to adopt the plan of reforms and an end to economic paralysis by reopening closed banks since June 29 He hopes to rely on popular support. “Governments fall when they lose the support of society, ours did lost,” he has said Wednesday night against the dissident MPs. According to a poll published Tuesday, the Greeks want Alexis Tsipras continues to lead the country to 68%. 72% of respondents consider that the agreement is “necessary” (poll for the newspaper To Vima).
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The popularity of the Premier? Minister, however, was put to the test on Wednesday with the first general strike of its mandate and a demonstration that gathered 12,000 people and ended with some scuffles. “It’s a real coup,” exclaims Grigoris Demestichas , a member of the party and in the procession on Wednesday night. “The euro does not deserve any additional sacrifice. With the ample victory of the” no “in the referendum, the government should have to understand,” says the activist. At his side, Stefanos is part of the platform on the left: “If the prime minister away from the pre-election program of the party, it is normal that activists remind her commitments If necessary, if the. head of the party does not want to revisit some of the reforms demanded by creditors, we will go up to failure. ”
In the coming days, Alexis Tsipras should undertake a cabinet reshuffle. But according to the Journal editors: “the priority of Alexis Tsipras is to go through with the agreement,” he will look after the reorganization of his government see to organize new elections in autumn . The left daily also mentioned the “sources that do not exclude the resignation of Prime Minister in due course.”
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