Syriza rebels split to form new party
Print Edition
Rebels opposed to Greece鈥檚 international bailout walked out of the leftist Syriza party yesterday, formalizing a split after its leader Alexis Tsipras resigned as prime minister and paved the way for early elections.
Greece鈥檚 president gave the conservative opposition a chance to form a new government following Tsipras鈥檚 resignation on Thursday, but the country appears almost certain to be heading for its third election in as many years next month.
Tsipras is hoping to strengthen his hold on power in a snap election after seven months in office in which he fought Greece鈥檚 creditors for a better bailout deal but had to cave in and accept more onerous terms.
One day after money began flowing from Greece鈥檚 third bailout program, a much-needed period of political and economic certainty remained as elusive as ever, drawing concerned calls from the eurozone that Athens must stick to commitments given under the rescue deal.
New party formed
Far left Syriza members, who oppose the promises of yet more austerity and economic reform that Tsipras made to secure 86 billion euros (US$97 billion) in bailout loans, broke away to form a new party.
A deputy speaker of parliament announced the new party would be called Popular Unity and headed by former Energy Minister Panagiotis Lafazanis, who was fired by Tsipras earlier this year for refusing to back the government.
One of the new party鈥檚 members, lawmaker and economist Costas Lapavitsas, noted Greeks had voted overwhelmingly in June against a bailout deal offered by the eurozone and the International Monetary Fund. But soon after the referendum, Tsipras performed a U-turn to save the financial system and Greece鈥檚 future in the eurozone.
鈥淲e want to give a voice to the 62 percent of the people who said 鈥楴o鈥 and do not want bailouts,鈥 Lapavitsas told ERT TV. 鈥淲e see strong support from the people who feel betrayed.鈥
With 25 lawmakers, the party will be the third largest bloc in Greece鈥檚 300-seat parliament, albeit far behind Syriza which had 149 before the split.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
