Greece's leftist Syriza party called on mainstream
parties Tuesday to reverse their support for Europe's austerity
programme, as Syriza's leader tried to form a coalition out of the
hung parliament that resulted from the weekend's elections.
Alexis Tsipras, head of the Radical Left Coalition, or Syriza,
came a surprise second in Sunday's election. He appears determined to
defy stern warnings from the European Union and Germany that Greece
must stick to its agreed bailout deal or risk default.
"There is no way we will attempt to sneak back what the Greek
people threw out in the election," he said, referring to a slew of
recent unpopular austerity measures, which include drastic pension
and salary cuts and tax hikes.
"The public has voted in large masses against the barbaric
policies of the EU memorandum," said Tsipras, who seeks a left-led
coalition aimed at rejecting the bailout terms.
In a stinging reply, the leader of the conservative New Democracy
party, Antonis Samaras, said: "what Mr Tsipras is suggesting would
force Greece out of the eurozone," vowing that the "liberal front
will not allow this."
The cutbacks are part of bailout terms imposed by the European
Union and International Monetary Fund (IMF) in exchange for emergency
funds to stave off a Greek bankruptcy.
Tsipras received the three-day mandate to form a coalition from
President Karolos Papoulias late Monday, after conservative New
Democracy leader Antonis Samaras failed to form a government.
Voters ended up punishing mainstream parties New Democracy and
Pasok for their handling of the financial crisis, which has forced
the country into a fifth year of recession and brought on record
unemployment.
Instead, the electorate directed their support towards several
smaller parties, ranging from moderate leftists to an extreme right
fascist party accused of attacks against immigrants.
Many voters - disillusioned with a political system that they see
as corrupt - refused even to vote, bringing abstention to an all-time
high at nearly 35 per cent.
Tsipras' goal will be to win over the Communist Party of Greece
(KKE). However, his efforts may prove fruitless, as the Communists
have already rejected any possibility of cooperation with Syriza. The
Democractic Left, seen as a more moderate and pro-Europe party, has
given Syriza its support.
Should Tsipras fail to clinch a coalition deal after the three
days, the mandate will then go to former finance minister Evangelos
Venizelos, whose Socialist Pasok party came in third.
If no agreement can be found, new elections will be called,
probably for June.
In Brussels, the bloc's executive was harsh in its message to
Athens, calling for austerity or default.
"The (bailout) programme countries, they have no alternative -
except disorderly default, which I think is not an alternative - than
to pursue courageous fiscal consolidation measures," said Jose Manuel
Barroso, the president of the bloc's executive.
"Growth and consolidation, we need both," Barroso added.
But he insisted it would be "irresponsible" for the European
Commission to recommend a further increase in sky-high national
deficits for the sake of achieving growth - which has emerged as the
new mantra in the face of growing public anger over austerity.
