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| Tsipras Is Seen as Holding Greeks’ Approval While Selling Tough Bailout Deal | Tsipras Is Seen as Holding Greeks’ Approval While Selling Tough Bailout Deal |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| ATHENS — Outside Parliament here Monday night, a small crowd had gathered to protest the bailout deal that Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras was bringing home from Brussels, when a woman tried to burn the flag of his left-wing Syriza party. | |
| She quickly found herself surrounded by other demonstrators who ripped the flag from her hands, telling her that she was going too far. | She quickly found herself surrounded by other demonstrators who ripped the flag from her hands, telling her that she was going too far. |
| For someone who has been forced by his nation’s creditors to accept a bailout proposal that backtracks on nearly every campaign promise he made, Mr. Tsipras appears to have political support that is alive and well, even among protesters. | For someone who has been forced by his nation’s creditors to accept a bailout proposal that backtracks on nearly every campaign promise he made, Mr. Tsipras appears to have political support that is alive and well, even among protesters. |
| Analysts say he has quickly fashioned an appealing, or at least credible, narrative in the face of what most Greeks consider a negotiating disaster: The deal may be bad, but it was the best we could get and must be carried out in a way that puts average Greeks ahead of the rich, particularly the oligarchs. | Analysts say he has quickly fashioned an appealing, or at least credible, narrative in the face of what most Greeks consider a negotiating disaster: The deal may be bad, but it was the best we could get and must be carried out in a way that puts average Greeks ahead of the rich, particularly the oligarchs. |
| Even before he left the loan negotiations in Brussels, Mr. Tsipras was striking that populist note, re-emphasizing a theme that was part of his campaign for office in January and that has surfaced in one form or another in recent years, from both the political right and left across much of Europe. | Even before he left the loan negotiations in Brussels, Mr. Tsipras was striking that populist note, re-emphasizing a theme that was part of his campaign for office in January and that has surfaced in one form or another in recent years, from both the political right and left across much of Europe. |
| “We’ll ensure the burden is distributed with social justice,” he said. | “We’ll ensure the burden is distributed with social justice,” he said. |
| “This time, those who got away in the past will shoulder the burden,” he said, adding that Greece needs “radical reforms that benefit society and not the oligarchs who led us here.” | “This time, those who got away in the past will shoulder the burden,” he said, adding that Greece needs “radical reforms that benefit society and not the oligarchs who led us here.” |
| Mr. Tsipras continued to scramble on Tuesday to prepare for a critical vote scheduled for Wednesday in Parliament, which has to approve a first round of economic policy changes demanded by the creditors in order to open negotiations for a bailout package of up to 86 billion euros, or about $95 billion, over the next three years. | Mr. Tsipras continued to scramble on Tuesday to prepare for a critical vote scheduled for Wednesday in Parliament, which has to approve a first round of economic policy changes demanded by the creditors in order to open negotiations for a bailout package of up to 86 billion euros, or about $95 billion, over the next three years. |
| Maintaining his political standing and authority is vital not just to winning the vote on Wednesday and one next week on another legislative package required by the deal, but also to his hopes of holding his coalition government together and remaining in office. | Maintaining his political standing and authority is vital not just to winning the vote on Wednesday and one next week on another legislative package required by the deal, but also to his hopes of holding his coalition government together and remaining in office. |
| Many Greeks seem to have no trouble separating their distaste for the deal from their feelings for Mr. Tsipras. Analysts say he would easily win re-election even now, with many Greeks seeing him as a man who gave everything he had to make things better, even if he did not succeed. | Many Greeks seem to have no trouble separating their distaste for the deal from their feelings for Mr. Tsipras. Analysts say he would easily win re-election even now, with many Greeks seeing him as a man who gave everything he had to make things better, even if he did not succeed. |
| Whether he is able to keep his governing coalition together is a more open question. But experts think that behind closed doors he is making progress on that front, too, reminding his party members that they still have a chance to make a difference if they stay with him. | Whether he is able to keep his governing coalition together is a more open question. But experts think that behind closed doors he is making progress on that front, too, reminding his party members that they still have a chance to make a difference if they stay with him. |
| “It is a very strong argument,” said Pavlos Tsimas, a political commentator for Skai television, “because they are leftists who have not been in government here in 70 years. He is telling them behind closed doors: ‘O.K., we have to do these hard things. But we have a chance to change the country and go up against the oligarchs.’ ” | |
| The elements of the agreement that must be approved by Parliament by the end of Wednesday include increases in the value-added tax and cuts in pensions, which Mr. Tsipras and Syriza had adamantly opposed for months and successfully urged voters to reject in a referendum nine days ago. | The elements of the agreement that must be approved by Parliament by the end of Wednesday include increases in the value-added tax and cuts in pensions, which Mr. Tsipras and Syriza had adamantly opposed for months and successfully urged voters to reject in a referendum nine days ago. |
| There is little doubt that he will get the votes he needs from other parties even as he faces defections from within Syriza. But Mr. Tsipras is pressing hard to preserve his coalition, analysts said, in part because he does not want to have to team up with new partners and in part because keeping his coalition intact could give him a stronger hand in future negotiations with the creditors. | There is little doubt that he will get the votes he needs from other parties even as he faces defections from within Syriza. But Mr. Tsipras is pressing hard to preserve his coalition, analysts said, in part because he does not want to have to team up with new partners and in part because keeping his coalition intact could give him a stronger hand in future negotiations with the creditors. |
| At first, it seemed unlikely that he could do this. His coalition partners, the far-right Independent Greeks, emerged from a meeting with him on Monday complaining bitterly about the proposals, calling them “unacceptable.” But 24 hours later, the tone had changed. | At first, it seemed unlikely that he could do this. His coalition partners, the far-right Independent Greeks, emerged from a meeting with him on Monday complaining bitterly about the proposals, calling them “unacceptable.” But 24 hours later, the tone had changed. |
| After a party meeting, Panos Kammenos, the leader of the Independent Greeks, said the party intended to stay in the government with Mr. Tsipras. His remarks were broadly interpreted here as meaning that he would vote for the measures the creditors demanded. | After a party meeting, Panos Kammenos, the leader of the Independent Greeks, said the party intended to stay in the government with Mr. Tsipras. His remarks were broadly interpreted here as meaning that he would vote for the measures the creditors demanded. |
| Mr. Kammenos seemed to be inspired by another argument as well: that the European creditors had effectively tried to oust Mr. Tsipras and his government. | Mr. Kammenos seemed to be inspired by another argument as well: that the European creditors had effectively tried to oust Mr. Tsipras and his government. |
| Mr. Kammenos said that the other members of the eurozone had attempted a “coup” and that he would not let it succeed. | Mr. Kammenos said that the other members of the eurozone had attempted a “coup” and that he would not let it succeed. |
| Analysts said that the faction of Syriza that seemed in open revolt, the Left Platform, which has about 30 members who had signaled that they would vote no on the deal, also seemed to be softening its opposition. | Analysts said that the faction of Syriza that seemed in open revolt, the Left Platform, which has about 30 members who had signaled that they would vote no on the deal, also seemed to be softening its opposition. |
| Mr. Tsipras’s public popularity is unquestioned at the moment. Experts say that is partly because he has remained a likable figure through the negotiations and partly because the political alternatives at the moment are few. | Mr. Tsipras’s public popularity is unquestioned at the moment. Experts say that is partly because he has remained a likable figure through the negotiations and partly because the political alternatives at the moment are few. |
| Mr. Tsipras’s government is the fourth for Greece in the past five years, a pace of change that has chewed up a lot of leaders and greatly reduced the support for the country’s mainstream parties. | Mr. Tsipras’s government is the fourth for Greece in the past five years, a pace of change that has chewed up a lot of leaders and greatly reduced the support for the country’s mainstream parties. |
| “His approval is unprecedented,” said Aristides Hatzis, an economics and law professor at the University of Athens, who frequently writes about the Greek crisis. “Why? For one thing, there is no opposition. No alternative. He has tremendous political capital. He will be able to pass everything with minimal losses.” | “His approval is unprecedented,” said Aristides Hatzis, an economics and law professor at the University of Athens, who frequently writes about the Greek crisis. “Why? For one thing, there is no opposition. No alternative. He has tremendous political capital. He will be able to pass everything with minimal losses.” |
| Still, some factions of the Greek electorate and of Mr. Tsipras’s party remain deeply disappointed that he made such an about-face, accepting a deal that seems to offer even harsher terms than previous bailouts did. | Still, some factions of the Greek electorate and of Mr. Tsipras’s party remain deeply disappointed that he made such an about-face, accepting a deal that seems to offer even harsher terms than previous bailouts did. |
| Some say the disappointment may catch up with Mr. Tsipras later. They say that even if he keeps his majority now, there will be defections in the months to come and possibly breakaway factions. | Some say the disappointment may catch up with Mr. Tsipras later. They say that even if he keeps his majority now, there will be defections in the months to come and possibly breakaway factions. |
| “It was a total betrayal,” said Aris Chatzistefanou, a leftist journalist and documentarian. “People don’t know what happened, and now I think he is a danger to the left. He has made clear that he is ready to do anything to stay in power.” | “It was a total betrayal,” said Aris Chatzistefanou, a leftist journalist and documentarian. “People don’t know what happened, and now I think he is a danger to the left. He has made clear that he is ready to do anything to stay in power.” |