Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras faced his biggest challenge from within the Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) on Sunday after weeks of simmering dissent among his group’s Left Platform, the more radical faction of the government. By Sunday evening, Tsipras had passed the test and was given the green light to continue negotiations along the lines he has chosen, however he has been called not to submit to “memorandum-style” agreements nor cross the “red lines” set by the party.

The Left Platform of SYRIZA, headed by Productive Reconstruction Minister Panagiotis Lafazanis, drafted a two-page document asking that the next International Monetary Fund (IMF) installment not be paid if the same “extortionary tactics” continue. A warning was set for those attempting to humiliate Greece.

SYRIZA’s central committee approved the document, however rejected the proposal for payments to Greece’s international creditors to be stopped with just 11 votes (56%-44%). The text urges the government to remain true to its basic goals and the commitments it had made prior to the elections on January 25 – mainly to take a hard line with creditors and resist austerity measures.

The radical faction of the party has been disappointed that Tsipras has had to soften his stand after months of negotiations with the European Commission, European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund so as to unlock a 7.2-billion-euro payment benchmarked for Greece so that the country is able to meet debt repayments over the summer.

Tsipras’ new challenge is to keep the majority backing from within his own party. Indicative of his dilemma was the fact that he avoided talking following the end of the central committee meeting and left somewhat satisfied but definitely concerned.