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After Victory at Greek Polls, Alexis Tsipras Forms Coalition Government After Victory at Greek Polls, Alexis Tsipras Is Sworn In and Forms Coalition Government
(about 1 hour later)
ATHENS — Alexis Tsipras, the leftist political maverick who swept to power on Sunday in Greece in a popular rebellion, formed a new coalition government on Monday with a right-wing fringe party that will charge immediately into the task of reversing wrenching austerity policies and negotiating with European leaders to reduce Greece’s debt burden. ATHENS — Alexis Tsipras, the leftist political maverick who swept to power in Greece in a popular rebellion, was sworn in as the country’s new prime minister on Monday and immediately formed a new coalition government to charge into the task of reversing wrenching austerity policies and negotiating with European leaders to reduce Greece’s debt burden.
Panos Kammenos, the leader of the coalition partner, Independent Greeks, told reporters shortly after meeting with Mr. Tsipras on Monday morning that the two had formed a new government. The Independent Greeks, who won 4.7 percent of the national vote, have often taken a hard line against austerity and might push for tough terms in any debt talks. Dressed in a blue shirt, a dark blazer and no tie, he strode calmly into Maximos Mansion, the seat of the prime minister’s office, and took a civil oath rather than a religious one to assume the leadership of the nation.
It was not immediately clear how the power would be shared, but Mr. Tsipras planned to go to the Greek presidential compound in the early afternoon to formally receive the mandate to form a government. In his first act as prime minister, he laid roses at a monument to 200 Greeks executed by Nazis in May 1944 in the Athens neighborhood of Kaisariani. The act was a symbolic gesture that some interpreted as a prod to Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, who has been insisting that Greece make austere sacrifices to pay its debts.
“I want to announce that from this moment the country has a government,” Mr. Kammenos told reporters after about an hour of talks with Mr. Tsipras. Earlier Monday, Mr. Tsipras agreed to form a coalition government with a right-wing fringe party created in 2012 at the height of an economic crisis, Independent Greeks, which won 4.7 percent of the vote. The group has often taken a hard line against austerity and might push for tough terms in any debt talks with Greece’s creditors.
“The Independent Greeks give our vote of confidence to the prime minister, Alexis Tsipras,” he said. “The Independent Greeks give our vote of confidence to the prime minister, Alexis Tsipras,” Panos Kammenos, the leader of the coalition partner, told reporters after about an hour of talks with Mr. Tsipras.
Mr. Kammenos added that Mr. Tsipras would visit President Karolos Papoulias later on Monday to be sworn in as prime minister and then announce the composition of the new government, “in which Independent Greeks will participate.” Mr. Tsipras now has 15 days to hold a confidence vote in his government, and was expected to announce his cabinet later Monday or Tuesday.
European finance ministers meeting in Brussels on Monday were expected to put the developments in Greece high on their agenda. Martin Schulz, the president of the European Parliament, told a German radio station on Monday morning that he had congratulated Mr. Tsipras immediately after the election but had told him that Greece should not expect significant financial concessions from creditors.European finance ministers meeting in Brussels on Monday were expected to put the developments in Greece high on their agenda. Martin Schulz, the president of the European Parliament, told a German radio station on Monday morning that he had congratulated Mr. Tsipras immediately after the election but had told him that Greece should not expect significant financial concessions from creditors.
Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain was more blunt. “The Greek election will increase economic uncertainty across Europe,” he said on Twitter.Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain was more blunt. “The Greek election will increase economic uncertainty across Europe,” he said on Twitter.
With nearly all the votes counted, Mr. Tsipras’s Syriza party had won 36.3 percent of votes and secured 149 seats in the Greek Parliament, short of the 151 that he needed to secure an outright majority. With nearly all the votes counted, Mr. Tsipras’s Syriza party had won 36.3 percent and secured 149 seats in the Parliament, short of the 151 that he needed for an outright majority.
New Democracy, led by the defeated incumbent prime minister, Antonis Samaras, took 27.8 percent of the votes. The neo-facist Golden Dawn party, whose popularity has increased amid economic hardship, won 6.3 percent of votes, coming in third.New Democracy, led by the defeated incumbent prime minister, Antonis Samaras, took 27.8 percent of the votes. The neo-facist Golden Dawn party, whose popularity has increased amid economic hardship, won 6.3 percent of votes, coming in third.
Syriza has become the first anti-austerity party to take power in a eurozone country and to shatter the two-party establishment that has dominated Greek politics for four decades. Syriza is the first anti-austerity party to take power in a eurozone country and to shatter the two-party establishment that has dominated Greek politics for four decades.
Mr. Tsipras’s victory represented a rejection of the harsh economics of austerity. It also sent a warning to the rest of Europe, where continuing economic weakness has stirred a populist backlash, with more voters growing fed up with policies that have required sacrifices to meet the demands of creditors but that have failed to deliver more jobs and prosperity.Mr. Tsipras’s victory represented a rejection of the harsh economics of austerity. It also sent a warning to the rest of Europe, where continuing economic weakness has stirred a populist backlash, with more voters growing fed up with policies that have required sacrifices to meet the demands of creditors but that have failed to deliver more jobs and prosperity.
Now that he has formed a coalition, Mr. Tsipras must quickly determine which of his populist promises he can carry out quickly, setting up a likely showdown with Greece’s European partners. Mr. Tsipras has said he wants to negotiate directly with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and other European leaders to reduce Greece’s debt burden. Now that he has formed a coalition, Mr. Tsipras must quickly determine which of his populist promises he can carry out quickly, setting up a likely showdown with Greece’s European partners — most notably Germany.
Mr. Tsipras has said he wants to negotiate directly with Ms. Merkel and other European leaders to reduce Greece’s debt burden.
Some officials, however, have characterized Mr. Tsipras’s demands as unrealistic and rife with the potential to drive Greece toward default or even out of the eurozone, the group that shares the currency.Some officials, however, have characterized Mr. Tsipras’s demands as unrealistic and rife with the potential to drive Greece toward default or even out of the eurozone, the group that shares the currency.
Officials in Germany reacted swiftly, warning Greeks against abandoning their course of overhauls.Officials in Germany reacted swiftly, warning Greeks against abandoning their course of overhauls.
“The Greeks have the right to elect whoever they want; we have the right to no longer finance Greek debt,” Hans-Peter Friedrich, a senior member of Ms. Merkel’s conservative bloc, told the daily newspaper Bild on Monday. “The Greeks must now pay the consequences and cannot saddle German taxpayers with them.”“The Greeks have the right to elect whoever they want; we have the right to no longer finance Greek debt,” Hans-Peter Friedrich, a senior member of Ms. Merkel’s conservative bloc, told the daily newspaper Bild on Monday. “The Greeks must now pay the consequences and cannot saddle German taxpayers with them.”
Mr. Tsipras’s victory prompted the opposition in Germany — the Greens and the Left party — to call on Ms. Merkel to change course and invest to spur growth. But Ms. Merkel's grand coalition holds a large majority in Parliament, and most Germans worry that any new talks with Greece will lead to a settlement that comes at the expense of Berlin. Mr. Tsipras’s victory prompted the opposition in Germany — the Greens and the Left party — to call on Ms. Merkel to change course and invest to spur growth. But Ms. Merkel’s grand coalition holds a large majority in Parliament, and most Germans worry that any new talks with Greece will lead to a settlement that comes at their expense.
In France, the victory was hailed by President François Hollande’s Socialist Party. In France, President François Hollande invited Mr. Tsipras to meet with him in Paris, while Mr. Hollande’s Socialist Party welcomed Syriza’s victory.
“The anti-austerity line is reinforced today in Europe,” Philip Cordery, the party’s national secretary for European affairs, said in a communiqué. “Since 2012, François Hollande and the social-democratic leaders have been working to reorient the European Union. In Alexis Tsipras they have found a new ally.”“The anti-austerity line is reinforced today in Europe,” Philip Cordery, the party’s national secretary for European affairs, said in a communiqué. “Since 2012, François Hollande and the social-democratic leaders have been working to reorient the European Union. In Alexis Tsipras they have found a new ally.”
The far-right leader Marine Le Pen, an opponent of European unification, also welcomed the Greek landslide, writing on Twitter that it represented “the beginning of the trial of ‘euro-sterity,’ the authority imposed for saving the euro.” The French far-right leader Marine Le Pen, an opponent of European unification, also welcomed the Greek landslide, writing on Twitter that it represented “the beginning of the trial of ‘euro-sterity,’ the authority imposed for saving the euro.”
Jens Bastian, a German economist who has lived in Athens since 1998 and worked for two years with a European task force for Greece, told Germany’s public broadcaster that the chances amounted to a historic shift for Greece.Jens Bastian, a German economist who has lived in Athens since 1998 and worked for two years with a European task force for Greece, told Germany’s public broadcaster that the chances amounted to a historic shift for Greece.
Mr. Tsipras will first negotiate his own coalition, Mr. Bastian noted, and then turn to Brussels and Berlin. European leaders would respect the sovereign decision of the Greek electorate and most likely engage in a long series of talks with Athens, Mr. Bastian said.Mr. Tsipras will first negotiate his own coalition, Mr. Bastian noted, and then turn to Brussels and Berlin. European leaders would respect the sovereign decision of the Greek electorate and most likely engage in a long series of talks with Athens, Mr. Bastian said.
Appearing before a throng of supporters outside Athens University late Sunday, Mr. Tsipras, 40, declared that the era of austerity was over and promised to revive the economy. He also said his government would not allow Greece’s creditors to strangle the country.Appearing before a throng of supporters outside Athens University late Sunday, Mr. Tsipras, 40, declared that the era of austerity was over and promised to revive the economy. He also said his government would not allow Greece’s creditors to strangle the country.
“Democracy will return to Greece,” Mr. Tsipras said to a swarm of journalists as he cast his ballot in Athens. “The message is that our common future in Europe is not the future of austerity.”“Democracy will return to Greece,” Mr. Tsipras said to a swarm of journalists as he cast his ballot in Athens. “The message is that our common future in Europe is not the future of austerity.”