Speaking before members of his party’s central committee, Greek PM Alexis Tsipras went on a full scale attack against the EU on the issue of Britain’s exit from the EU. During the SYRIZA conference, Tsipras announced his government would introduce a draft bill to parliament in the coming days to change the electoral system to proportional representation. Among other things, the bill will also provide for the lowering of the laval voting age to 17 years from 18.

Commenting on the aftermath of the Brexit and the developments in the EU, Tsipras stressed the need for a ‘better Europe’ and to fight right extremism, while he announced he would take initiatives in that directions after informing French PM Francois Hollande on the matter. Tsipras accused the EU that its persistence in implementing failed economic policies during the economic crisis in Europe had lead to the rise of the extreme right across the continent. ‘Today more than ever, we need a counter-narrative by the progressive European forces to stem the surge of nationalism and the extreme right that found fertile ground in the conditions created by austerity and unchecked markets’, warned Tsipras. The Greek PM underlined that the EU was in urgent need of a renewed vision, a democratic and socially fair EU. Tsipras also revealed that he contacted the leader of Spanish party Podemos, Pablo Iglesias wishing him good luck for Sunday’s elections.