Tsipras says he wants to avoid second election with coalition based on ‘progressive’ programme

By George Gilson

Main opposition SYRIZA leader, in a major news conference at the Thessaloniki International Fai (TIF) today, ruled out acceptance of a minority government and he also rejected the prospect of a four -party coalition with PASOK, MeRA 25 (led by former SYRIZA finance minister Yanis Varoufakis), and the KKE Greek Communist Party, except in the unlikely prospect that SYRIZA emerges as the top party in the next general election.

Though SYRIZA still trails New Democracy by about eight percentage points in the latest opinion surveys, all polls indicate that the ruling party will not be able to garner enough support to secure a parliamentary majority, and both Tsipras and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, despite declarations of pious wishes to the contrary, take for granted that a second general election will be necessary.

Greece to send 40 BMP-1 armoured vehicles to Ukraine, receive 40 Marders from Germany

Parties face tortuous decisions on who they will side with in prospective coalition

Over the last many months, the political debate has focused on possible alliances for a viable coalition government to be formed after the next election, as the proportional representation electoral law passed by the former SYRIZA government makes it nearly impossible for the top party to garner a parliamentary majority and secure single-party rule.

Until the revelations about the National Service (EYP), which is under the direct jurisdiction of the PM, having surveilled PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis, New Democracy was pinning its hopes on a strong ND-PASOK coalition, but that has been thrown into doubt, to say the least, after the political maelstrom over EYP's spying on Androulakis, though it cannot be ruled out...