This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/21/world/europe/greece-election-tsipras.html
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Alexis Tsipras Given a Second Chance by Greek Voters | |
| (about 9 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, 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. | 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 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 elections. | 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 elections. |
| Hours after the polls closed, a grinning Mr. Tsipras told a cheering crowd 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. | Hours after the polls closed, a grinning Mr. Tsipras told a cheering crowd 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. |
| “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.” | “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.” |
| 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. | 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. |
| New Democracy’s leader, Evangelos Meimarakis, conceded the race just 90 minutes after the polls closed. | New Democracy’s leader, Evangelos Meimarakis, conceded the race just 90 minutes after the polls closed. |
| 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 — those who refused to support the measures Greece’s creditors were demanding. | 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 — those who refused to support the measures Greece’s creditors were demanding. |
| That faction formed its own party, calling for Greece to leave the eurozone, and it drew so few votes it is unlikely to get into Parliament at all. | That faction formed its own party, calling for Greece to leave the eurozone, 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 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. | 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 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 nations 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 an additional 86 billion euros, or $97.2 billion, in aid necessary to reopen Greece’s banks and avert default on its loans. | This summer, after a chaotic showdown with Greece’s creditors — the other nations 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 an additional 86 billion euros, or $97.2 billion, in aid necessary to reopen Greece’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. | 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. |
| Many voters wondered whether, with the bailout deal in place giving huge oversight powers to the creditors, it really made any difference who would govern Greece. In the end, voter turnout was the lowest in Greece’s history, with only 56 percent compared with 63.6 in January. | Many voters wondered whether, with the bailout deal in place giving huge oversight powers to the creditors, it really made any difference who would govern Greece. In the end, voter turnout was the lowest in Greece’s history, with only 56 percent compared with 63.6 in 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 Greek oligarchs rather than those of the average citizen. | 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 Greek 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. “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. “A second chance to take us to hell,” she yelled. |
| In the middle-class neighborhood of Mets, Andreas Tsinas, 55, the owner of a moving company, said he voted for New Democracy, saying it was “the only hope for some kind of stability.” | In the middle-class neighborhood of Mets, Andreas Tsinas, 55, the owner of a moving company, said he voted for New Democracy, saying it was “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 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 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. |
| The next government will need to continue implementing deep economic reforms required by the bailout deal 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 deal 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 laws before the end of the year, many of them measures that were supposed to have been 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 have been passed years ago. |
| 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 nations 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 nations 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, 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, career-killing, that no one really wanted it. |
| One cartoon in the conservative newspaper Kathimerini 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.” | One cartoon in the conservative newspaper Kathimerini 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.” |
| 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. | 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. |
| Mr. Tsipras wasted no time restoring the coalition he worked with during his seven months in office with the populist right-wing party, the Independent Greeks, a union that should give him 155 votes in a 300-member Parliament. | Mr. Tsipras wasted no time restoring the coalition he worked with during his seven months in office with the populist right-wing party, the Independent Greeks, a union that should give him 155 votes in a 300-member Parliament. |
| 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. | 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. |