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Alexis Tsipras Poised to Regain Greek Leadership After Opponent Concedes Greek Voters Return Alexis Tsipras to Power
(about 5 hours later)
ATHENS — Alexis Tsipras, who won election as Greece’s prime minister in January on an anti-austerity platform that he was later forced to abandon, appeared on Sunday to have been returned to power by Greek voters after his main opponent conceded defeat. ATHENS — Alexis Tsipras, who won election as Greece’s prime minister in January on an anti-austerity platform that he was later forced to abandon, was returned to power by Greek voters on Sunday, many of them saying that he had fought hard to get them a better deal from the country’s creditors and deserved a second chance at governing.
With a quarter of the vote counted, Mr. Tsipras’s left-wing Syriza party led with 35.4 percent to 28.1 percent for New Democracy, the main right-leaning party. The third largest number of votes was for the Golden Dawn, the neo-fascist party, which was polling at 7.3 percent, about 1 percentage point higher than in January’s election. With 63 percent of the vote counted, Mr. Tsipras’s left-wing Syriza party led with 35.4 percent to 28.3 percent for New Democracy, the main right-leaning party. The third largest number of votes was for the Golden Dawn, a neo-fascist party, which received 7.1 percent, about 1 point higher than in January’s election.
New Democracy’s leader, Evangelos Meimarakis, conceded the race about 90 minutes after the polls closed, telling reporters that he congratulated Mr. Tsipras and called on him to form a government. Hours after the polls closed, a grinning Mr. Tsipras told a cheering crowd of his supporters that Syriza had “proved too strong to die though it was targeted by so many.” And as he has throughout his campaign, he focused not on the bailout that he was forced to accept in the summer, but on tackling Greece’s homegrown problems.
“A battle is finished,” he said, “one that we gave with seriousness and dignity.” “The mandate that the Greek people gave us is crystal clear — to get rid of the wickedness and the regime of corruption and intertwined interests that have ruled the country for years,” Mr. Tsipras said. “You gave us the second decisive chance to be done with that. We will be judged in the next four years on how efficient we are starting tomorrow morning.”
It was not immediately clear whether Syriza would win enough seats to govern on its own or whether it would again need to govern in a coalition, as it did from January until August, when Mr. Tsipras called a new election, the fifth for Greece in six years. Greek pollsters had not predicted his win, calling it a close race for weeks, and maintaining that Mr. Tsipras’s early popularity was fading. But with more than 35 percent of the vote, Mr. Tsipras won almost as many parliamentary seats as he had before.
Mr. Tsipras had gambled that calling an election, he could consolidate his power and rid Syriza of its more radical left elements, who have now split off and are calling for Greece to leave the euro currency zone. New Democracy’s leader, Evangelos Meimarakis, conceded the race just 90 minutes after the polls closed.
During the campaign, the charismatic Mr. Tsipras, 41, was unable to rouse Greek voters as he did in the beginning of the year, when he was promising to go head-to-head with the country’s creditors and vowing to accept no further austerity measures. Backed by many economists, Mr. Tsipras had argued that excessive budget cutting in the name of debt reduction had choked off economic growth and contributed to pervasive unemployment and underemployment. By calling last month for elections, Mr. Tsipras had gambled that he could consolidate his power and rid his Syriza party of its more radical elements — members who refused to support the measures Greece’s creditors were demanding.
That faction formed its own party, calling for Greece to leave the euro currency zone, and it drew so few votes it is unlikely to get into Parliament at all.
Yet during the three-week campaign, Syriza’s victory was uncertain. The charismatic Mr. Tsipras, 41, was unable to rouse Greek voters as he did in the beginning of the year, when he was promising to go head-to-head with the country’s creditors and vowing to accept no further austerity measures. Backed by many economists, Mr. Tsipras had argued that excessive budget cutting in the name of debt reduction had choked off economic growth and contributed to pervasive unemployment and underemployment.
This summer, after a chaotic showdown with Greece’s creditors — the other countries that use the euro, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund — Mr. Tsipras gave in and accepted a new package of budget cuts, tax increases and other economic policy changes in return for another 86 billion euros, or $97.2 billion, in aid necessary to reopen the country’s banks and avert default on its loans.This summer, after a chaotic showdown with Greece’s creditors — the other countries that use the euro, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund — Mr. Tsipras gave in and accepted a new package of budget cuts, tax increases and other economic policy changes in return for another 86 billion euros, or $97.2 billion, in aid necessary to reopen the country’s banks and avert default on its loans.
At first he seemed to maintain his popularity among Greek voters just for having fought so hard. But in recent days crowds at his rallies were anemic. Pollsters, though often unreliable in Greece, had for weeks been forecasting a close race between Mr. Tsipras and Mr. Meimarakis, 61. At first he seemed to maintain his popularity among Greek voters just for having fought so hard. But in recent days crowds at his rallies were anemic.
Outside the polling station in the working-class neighborhood of Koukaki, many voters said they still applauded Mr. Tsipras’s gumption even if he had failed to change Greece’s relationship with the creditors. More than that, they said they liked his youth and his distance from the corrupt politics of the past, which they said served the interests of Greeks oligarchs rather than those of the average citizen. Many voters wondered whether, with the bail out agreement in place giving huge oversight powers to the country’s creditors, it really made any difference who would govern Greece. In the end, voter turn out was the lowest in Greece’s history with only 56 percent compared to 63.6 last January.
But outside the polling station in the working-class neighborhood of Koukaki, many voters said they still applauded Mr. Tsipras’s gumption even if he had failed to change Greece’s relationship with the creditors. More than that, they said they liked his youth and his distance from the corrupt politics of the past, which they said served the interests of Greeks oligarchs rather than those of the average citizen.
“He is much younger, more spontaneous,” said Costas Kapnisakis, 64, a retired math teacher, who voted for Mr. Tsipras. “He is more dynamic, more confident. I am disappointed about the U-turn, of course. But I still think he is better than the old ways.”“He is much younger, more spontaneous,” said Costas Kapnisakis, 64, a retired math teacher, who voted for Mr. Tsipras. “He is more dynamic, more confident. I am disappointed about the U-turn, of course. But I still think he is better than the old ways.”
Giannis Papadopoulos, 30, and his wife, Maria, 29, said they wanted to give Mr. Tsipras a second chance, too. Others, however, disagreed vehemently. As they talked about their support for Mr. Tsipras, an elderly voter passed by and expressed her opinion. “A second chance to take us to hell,” she yelled.Giannis Papadopoulos, 30, and his wife, Maria, 29, said they wanted to give Mr. Tsipras a second chance, too. Others, however, disagreed vehemently. As they talked about their support for Mr. Tsipras, an elderly voter passed by and expressed her opinion. “A second chance to take us to hell,” she yelled.
In the middle-class neighborhood of Mets, Andreas Tsinas, the 55-year-old owner of a moving company, said he voted for New Democracy, saying it is “the only hope for some kind of stability.” In the middle-class neighborhood of Mets, Andreas Tsinas, a 55-year-old owner of a moving company, said he voted for New Democracy, saying it is “the only hope for some kind of stability.”
A lifelong conservative supporter, he defected to another party in the January elections, he said, because he had had enough of austerity, though he would not say which party he backed then. After Syriza’s short stint in power, however, he was compelled to return to New Democracy. A lifelong conservative supporter, he defected to another party in the January elections, he said, because he had enough of austerity, though he would not say which party he backed then. After Syriza’s short stint in power, however, he was compelled to return to New Democracy.
“It’s not that New Democracy won me back, it’s the others. They made such a mess of things that we have to keep them out,” he said, adding that the capital controls imposed in July when the country was on the brink of default dealt a serious blow to his business. “It almost finished us off,” he said. “It’s not that New Democracy won me back, it’s the others. They made such a mess of things that we have to keep them out,” he said, adding that the capital controls imposed in July dealt a serious blow to his business. “It almost finished us off,” he said.
There could hardly be more at stake in Sunday’s vote. The next government will need to continue implementing deep economic reforms required by the €86 billion bailout agreement Mr. Tsipras brokered in August, a recapitalization of the country’s banks, and the unwinding of capital controls. The next government will need to continue implementing deep economic reforms required by the bailout agreement Mr. Tsipras brokered in August, a recapitalization of the country’s banks, and the unwinding of capital controls.
A misstep could send the country crashing out of the eurozone. Greece’s relations with Europe are in a fragile state, and several of its leaders are showing impatience, unlikely to tolerate the foot-dragging of past administrations. Under the terms of the bailout, Greece must pass dozens of new laws before the end of the year, many of them measures that were supposed to be passed years ago. A misstep could send the country crashing out of the eurozone. Greece’s relations with Europe are in a fragile state, and several of its leaders are showing impatience, unlikely to tolerate the foot-dragging of past administrations. Under the terms of the bailout, Greece must pass dozens of laws before the end of the year, many of them measures that were supposed to be passed years ago.
On the horizon, too, is the growing refugee crisis, with Greece squarely in the middle of it geographically. Thousands have used the country as a steppingstone toward other parts of Europe. But Greece does not have the resources to provide food and shelter and it is terrified that other countries will close their borders, leaving waves of newcomers to back up on its shores. There is also the growing refugee crisis. Thousands of asylum seekers have used Greece as a steppingstone to other parts of Europe. But the country does not have the resources to provide food and shelter and it is terrified that other countries will close their borders, leaving waves of newcomers to back up on its shores.
Some pundits have suggested that the prime minister’s job would be so difficult and, in the end, so career-killing, that no one really wanted it.Some pundits have suggested that the prime minister’s job would be so difficult and, in the end, so career-killing, that no one really wanted it.
One cartoon in the conservative newspaper Kathimerini earlier this month showed Mr. Tspiras waking up in a sweat next to his wife. “I had a nightmare,” he says, “that I was re-elected.” One cartoon in the conservative newspaper Kathimerini earlier this month showed Mr. Tsipras waking up in a sweat next to his wife. “I had a nightmare,” he says, “that I was re-elected.”
Unless someone wins an overwhelming majority, many analysts here say the outcome could be an unstable coalition government. Mr. Meimarakis has promised a quick coalition, saying he willing to work even with Syriza. But many experts say the two leaders in the race are unlikely to partner, in part because of ideological differences, in part because they do not like each other. Mr. Tsipras has said that he did not want to enter into a coalition with the two parties that had ruled Greece for the last 40 years, New Democracy and the center left PASOK party. Mr. Tsipras’s party won enough seats to keep him from having to, Syriza officials said.
Under some scenarios, Syriza officials have begun discussing a strategy that would more or less restore the balance in the previous Parliament. Mr. Tsipras would partner again with the right wing Independent Greeks and govern with a minority. This time, however, Mr. Tsipras would have a more stable party because the most radical fringe of Syriza would no longer be there. Mr. Tsipras wasted no time restoring the coalition that he worked with during his seven month in office with the populist right-wing party, the Independent Greeks, a union that should give him 155 votes in a 300-member parliament.
Others point out that there is still much disagreement within Syriza and Mr. Tsipras could find himself navigating precarious alliances again soon. Still some experts worry about the government’s stability. There is still much disagreement within Syriza and Mr. Tsipras could find himself navigating precarious alliances again soon.